Olathe Chamber to celebrate our 100th anniversary Thursday
The big day is finally here. Well, almost. In two days, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating our 100th anniversary.
We were incorporated with the state of Kansas on March 23, 1923 so this Thursday, March 23, we’re celebrating our 100th anniversary. Be sure to join us at our Weekly Networking Coffee at 9 a.m. at the Eagles Landing at Lake Olathe, 475 S. Ward Cliff Dr., (co-hosted by Memory Maker KC) as we celebrate in style.
On March 23, 100 years ago a group of 11 Chamber Board members were in Topeka signing our letters of incorporation. That Board represented a list of members that included the Dennis Motor Company, the Grange Store, First National Bank, Hyer & Sons, the Olathe Mirror newspaper, the Olathe Light & Power Company and Patrons Bank – just to name a few.
Olathe has grown up quite a bit over the last 100 years. What began as a gathering of like-minded merchants as an outgrowth of the existing Merchants & Farmers Association, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce began as an informal organization for a few years before being incorporated with the state of Kansas and earning our charter on March 23, 1923.
Back in 1923, Olathe had a population of 3,083. Now, we’re a town of more than 151,000 people and an initial group of 132 Chamber members is now more than 1,200 strong and growing.
Looking for input for new Economic Development Strategic Plan
In partnership with the City of Olathe, the Olathe Economic Development Council is developing a new Economic Development Strategic Plan to see how we can best serve our community.
Part of that process involves you. We’d love to get some feedback from Olathe residents. This new strategic plan that will guide the City’s efforts in the next 10 years. The plan will provide strategic direction for the City by identifying key opportunities for future growth and partnerships and recommend place-based development strategies for the City’s future development.
A quality of life survey and a business survey will help us craft the plan. We value your experience and insights as we craft a strategy for the future.
For reference, both surveys are online and can be accessed here:
We appreciate your help with this and please know that your input will help us greatly.
Street and park sales tax renewal going out to Olathe voters
Next month, City of Olathe residents will have the opportunity to renew the Street Maintenance Sales Tax (SMST) and the Parks Sales Tax. Both sales tax measures are the main vehicle for funding in their respective area.
The 3/8 cent SMST was approved by Olathe voters in 2013. The 1/8 cent Parks Sales Tax was approved by Olathe voters in 1999 and renewed in 2004 and again in 2014.
The ballot will contain two separate questions regarding renewal of each sales tax. This opportunity provides transparency to residents by allowing renewal for sales tax liability on one ballot, rather than separate elections in following years and cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars by having one election cycle.
Ballots will be mailed April 5 and must be returned by noon on April 25. Visit here to view ballot language and for more information.
At their February meeting, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted unanimously to support both the Street Maintenance Sales Tax (SMST) and the Parks Sales Tax.
Registration deadline for State of County Luncheon Monday
Don’t forget to put the State of the County Luncheon on your calendar. The annual luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4 at the Overland Park Convention Center. The deadline for reservations is Monday, March 27. Individual tickets are $50 and a corporate table of 10 is $550. Register today.
Join us for a Chamber Social next week
The first Olathe Chamber of Commerce Social of the year is coming in two weeks. Please join us for the Chamber Social from 3:30 – 5 p.m. next Thursday, March 30.
March’s Chamber Social will take place at the Crazy Good Barbecue, 16695A 151st St. We can’t think of a better setting for our new networking opportunity on what is sure to be a wonderful spring evening.
Our weekly Chamber Coffee sponsors are Country Club Bank, Olathe Health, State Farm Harlan Parker and Xfinity.
Several state, federal grant programs available
Whether it’s through the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Kansas Department of Revenue or the Enterprise Center of Johnson County, there are a few great grant opportunities available right now for Olathe Chamber of Commerce members.
Last week, the Kansas Department of Commerce announced $30 million will be made available under the Aviation Learning Opportunities & Funded Training (ALOFT) and Delivering Residents and Workforce (DRAW) grant programs. The ALOFT program will provide $20 million in funding for training development and expansions requiring new job opportunities in the aviation and aerospace industry.
The DRAW program will provide $10 million in funding for training development for high demand employers, such as healthcare, education, technology-based, and entities working with persons with disabilities. A priority for the DRAW program is to increase new residents from out-of-state. Check here for more information on the ALOFT program.
The COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Act sets aside funding to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, administered by the Kansas Department of Revenue (Department), is open for application until April 15. The COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Program is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which requires registration for a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through the federal System for Award Management (SAM). The required UEI is issued at no cost, and registration can be made here. For more info on the COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief Act, check here.
Finally, there are still a number of $20,000 Small Business Recovery grans available to Johnson County business owners. The Enterprise Center in Johnson County (ECJC) announced that Johnson County small businesses – including childcare facilities – are able to apply for the Small Business Recovery grants here.
YOPro is back with event next week
The Young Olathe Professionals are back! Make plans to join us to celebrate the return our popular YOPro from 3:30 – 5 p.m. next Tuesday, March 28, at Tall Trellis Brewery.
The first YOPro event will be all about networking. We’ll reconnect, toast to our return, tackle some brain-stirring riddles and win a few prizes.
We’re excited to re-engage with the younger members of the Olathe Chamber of Commerce (and the young at heart). This is the first of what will be monthly meetings of the YOPro group. Beginning in March, YOPro will meet the fourth Tuesday of each month. Stay tuned for more great events coming later this year.
A big thanks to Enterprise Bank & Trust, our 2023 YOPro sponsor.
This event is free, but please register today so we know who’s coming. We can’t wait to see you on March 28.
Join Leadership Olathe alums for Serve and Social event
Please join the current Leadership Olathe class and alumni for our first Serve and Social. This event will take place from 4 – 6 p.m. this Thursday, March 23 at Heart to Heart International, 11550 Renner Blvd.
The first hour will be focused on giving back to the community, followed by a social hour to network with fellow Leadership Olathe alums. From 4 – 5 p.m., we’ll be preparing medical aid kits. At 5 p.m., we’ll have a social hour and hear from Dr. Gary Morsch, founder of Heart to Heart International. Tours of the facility will be available after 6 p.m.
Hope to see all current Leadership Olathe classmates and alumni there. There’s no cost for the event, but we ask the current class and alums to RSVP here.
Advertising opportunities available in Olathe Visitors Guide
Advertising sales for the Olathe Convention & Visitors Bureau visitors guide have begun.
More than 10,000 guides are printed and given to sports teams, corporate travelers, conference attendees and leisure travelers. There’s also a digital version of the guide that we share across the area and region.
Our partner, MetroMedia Publishers, will be reaching out to members to offer advertising opportunities in the guide. This is an excellent chance to promote your business and be visible with an engaged audience. For more information on advertising, contact Kathy Moore at MetroMedia Publishers.
WHAT'S NEW
Grab a booth at the Garmin Olathe Marathon expo
The Garmin Olathe Marathon is coming up on April 22. As the big day quickly approaches, the annual Holmes Murphy Garmin Olathe Marathon Packet Pick-up and Expo on April 20-21 is a perfect opportunity to promote your business.
For more information or to inquire about expo sponsorship opportunities, please contact Susie Carson.
This year’s Garmin Olathe Marathon, organized by the Olathe Convention & Visitors Bureau, will start and finish at Garmin International at 151st and Ridgeview.
The April 22 event will feature the largest full-marathon and half-marathon in the state of Kansas, a 10K, the Munchkin Marathon, and the CenterWell Senior Walk. Register here and join in on the fun. Be sure to register by March 30, to lock in the lowest price.
Explore KC with KC Kid Friendly Trip
The KC Kid Friendly Trip is a free way to explore Kansas City! Download the OtoCast app on your phone and start exploring. Get out and enjoy some stops throughout KC that are for the young (and young at heart). Be sure to stop by Calamity Line Park near K-7 and Santa Fe to check out Olathe’s kid friendly spot on the trip. Earn three badges along the way and be entered to win a $250 prize. Check out more information here.
CHAMBER CONNECTION
Latino students and their parents/guardians are invited to a free, bilingual information session about how to prepare for college. The Latinos to College Kansas event will take place from 9:30 a.m. – noon on Saturday, March 25 at K-State University – Olathe, 22201 W. Innovation Dr. There will be a resource fair, breakout sessions and a panel discussion. Check here for more info on the event.
The Super Famous Warehouse Sale at Gerson Company begins next Thursday, March 30 and runs through May 26. The sale features discounts of up to 75 percent off spring and summer items. The sale takes place from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday at 1450 S. Lone Elm Road.
There are fantastic teachers and staff at the Olathe Public Schools. They want to share that with the rest of the school district. Nominate a teacher or staff member for an award from the Olathe Public Schools Foundation (OPSF). Each month the OPSF recognizes two educators with the Educator Excellence Award and two classified staff members with the Classified Employee Excellence Recognition Award. Both awards include a cash award of $500. Nomination forms are available on the OPSF website. It’s easy and only takes a few letters of support. Questions? foundation@olatheschools.org or 780-8222.
Save the date for the Johnson County Community College Continuing Education Business Breakfast Series event from 7 – 9 a.m. on April 19. More information about the event, “Reboot Retention: Hiring & Inspiring the next Generation-FTW” can be found here.
DID YOU KNOW
Not enough time in your day to do everything you need to do to make your business thrive? Let the Olathe Chamber of Commerce and its more than 1,200 members help. Check out this video and let us help.
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.
Also, if the Olathe School District is closed due to inclement weather, the event will be cancelled.
March 23 – Olathe Chamber Coffee at Eagles Landing at Lake Olathe, co-hosted by Memory Maker KC, 475 S. Ward Cliff Dr., 9 a.m.
March 23 – Olathe Chamber Ribbon Cutting at Tommy’s Express Carwash, 225 S. Parker St., 11 a.m.
RECENT CHAMBER MEMBERS
COUPONS AND DISCOUNTS
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©2023 Olathe Chamber of Commerce