Fourth Fridays are back in 2023, don’t miss JAM in May
The first Fourth Friday celebration of the year is about two weeks away. Make plans to be there because you won’t want to miss when JAM: Jackson and Mars takes the stage.
The annual celebrations are sponsored by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Olathe Convention & Visitors Bureau in conjunction with the City of Olathe and the Downtown Olathe Business Association, and are back in downtown Olathe this summer. The first one will be from 6 – 9 p.m. on May 26.
Fourth Fridays is presented by Honda and Subaru of Olathe. And a big thanks to our other Fourth Fridays sponsors Azura Credit Union, City of Olathe, Fry Orthodontics, Humana, Olathe Communities that Care and Tommy’s Express Car Wash.
Be sure to make plans to join us this summer, whether you’re down there to have fun, or want to sponsor a booth at the event. May will feature our Sip ‘n’ Shop event. The cost is $25 for members. For more information, please contact Allison Calvin.
For other event or booth sponsorship opportunities for any of the five Fourth Friday events this summer, please contact Susie Carson for more information.
Chamber looking for items for art sculpture
The doors are open to our new office in downtown Olathe. Now, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce is looking to put some of the finishing touches on the awesome new space.
One of those finishing touches is a cool sculpture that will be on the wall of our new shared conference room. We need a couple of hundred objects to give the sculpture unique texture and character before paint is applied.
That’s where you come in. We’re looking for objects that are relevant to the Chamber and our members that show the passion and personality of our thousands and member employees.
Please drop any item you feel fits the bill. The only stipulation is that it has to tell a story and has to be small than 12-inches by 12-inches. Drop the items off at the Chamber office, 260 E. Santa Fe, Suite 101, by Friday, May 12.
Leadership Olathe Class of 2023 set to graduate
All the hard work has paid off and it’s time to celebrate the Leadership Olathe Class of 2023. Their graduation dinner and ceremony takes place from 6 – 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 11 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Olathe Conference Center.
And speaking of hard work paying off, all of the hard work the class has put into their volunteer project has paid off, too.
This year’s class chose the Olathe Family YMCA as the benefactor of their volunteer project and classmates have spent the past few weeks building eight raised garden beds to help with food insecurities in our community. They’re putting the final touches on the project today as they install a greenhouse they have secured.
Congratulations to the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Olathe Class of 2023. Check here for a complete list of this year’s class.
Two Olathe students earn perfect ACT scores
Jacob Kuehnen and Soren Flannery obtained perfect scores on their ACT this winter.
Kuehnen, who is a junior at Olathe South High School. Kuehnen was very proud to get his score back after putting in months of preparation. He said focusing on the areas he needed to improve and practicing the exact test format is what helped him the most.
Kuehnen plans on going to college after graduation to study something in computer science. He plans on taking college visits in the near future.
Flannery, a junior at Olathe North High School. Principal Jason Herman noted that Flannery is involved in the 21st Century Distinguished Scholars Academy specializing in mathematics and he plays in the marching band.
Community service day set for May YOPro
Make plans to join the Young Olathe Professionals for May’s Sunshine & Emojis event from 10 – 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23 at the Olathe Chamber of Commerce, 260 E. Santa Fe St.
This YOPro community service event is focused on helping KidsTLC get ready for summer by collecting suns and emojis for KidsTLC to decorate their classrooms and homerooms throughout their organization.
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.
OUT AND ABOUT
Pickleman’s Chamber Ribbon Cutting
Congratulations to Pickleman’s on their Olathe Chamber Ribbon Cutting. Stop by and see them at 13516 S. Alden St.
Inclusion Connections Chamber Ribbon Cutting
Congratulations to Inclusion Connections on their Olathe Chamber Ribbon Cutting to celebrate their new space. Stop by and see them at 2073 E. Santa St.
CHAMBER CONNECTION
The Olathe Culture Fest will take place from 12:30 – 5:30 p.m. this Saturday, May 13 at 200 E. Santa Fe in downtown Olathe. The event will feature food trucks, music, live performances and a free car show.
Foulston Siefkin LLP has elected David Rogers as the firm’s managing partner, effective June 1. Rogers is a trial lawyer with 35 years’ experience; he is based in Wichita as part of the firm’s Wichita litigation practice group. He succeeds interim managing partner Kevin Arnel, who stepped in after previous managing partner Jason Lacey departed to join another former Foulston partner in long-time firm client IMA’s legal department.
Register now for “Bridging the Capital Gap,” a Kansas Small Business Development Center Summit from 7: 30 a.m. – 4 p.m. this Thursday, May 11. At Johnson County Community College. Olathe Chamber members can receive 50 percent off registration here.
Residents can drop off their unwanted household hazardous waste at the City of Olathe’s drop-off event from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the HHW facility, 1420 S. Robinson Dr., behind the City of Olathe Public Works and Customer Service. This is also a secure shredding event, so bring any paper items you’d like to have destroyed. Residents will be asked to provide a photo ID and a general description of their HHW items. For the safety of staff, customers will be asked to remain in their vehicle at all times during the drop-off. Staff will remove all materials. Visit here for a full list of acceptable items.
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 it’s nearly 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.
May 11 – Olathe Chamber Coffee at the Heritage Center at the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm, co-hosted by the Olathe Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1200 E. Kansas City Road, 9 a.m.
May 11 – Olathe Chamber Ribbon Cutting at Brown Suga Bakes, 1066 W. Santa Fe St., 11 a.m.
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