Lindsay Madison is the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce has been working to encourage entrepreneurship and matching skills to local employers’ needs in 2019, according to information provided during the Jan. 9 Chamber coffee.
Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, 321 E. Wall
Two new programs were added to the community this year: Bourbon County E-Community and Work Ready Community. The focus of the two is enhancing local economic development through entrepreneurship and workforce development.
Loans for Businesses Through Entrepreneur Community
Bourbon County E-Community provides access to funds, which are locally administered through the Chamber. These loans included start-up businesses as well as existing business purchases or expenses. The funds are accessed through NetWork Kansas, whose mission statement is to promote an entrepreneurial environment throughout the state that connects entrepreneurs and small business owners with expertise, education, and economic resources.
Those who have received these loans in Fort Scott from July 1 to Dec. 31:
Smallville Crossfit, an E-Community Loan of $40,000.
Luther’s BBQ, an E-Community Loan of $45,000.
Smallville Crossfit, a start-up loan of $25,000.
Lulther’s BBQ, a start-up loan of $30,000.
Margo’s LLC (a salon and spa), an E-Community Load of $39,000.
Other events in support of E-Community: a luncheon to educate on the loan program, an entrepreneur appreciation luncheon, a semi-monthly local newspaper ad promoting the loans, and planning for a Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, in partnership with Fort Scott High School (judging for the challenge will be March 11, 2020.)
Work Ready Community
Work Ready Community is a nation-wide program to aid matching people to a job that needs their skills and preparing people to have the skills that employers need.
Work Ready Communities is working at the grassroots level to make the country more competitive and closing the skills gap that threatens to paralyze the U.S. economy, according to its website. They do this by providing a community-based framework.
Bourbon County became a Work Ready Community in Sept. 2019.
A group of 10 people from Bourbon County, USD 234, USD235, Fort Scott Community College, the City of Uniontown and local employers attended a Work Ready Community Workshop in August 2019.
Kansas initiated an initiative for high school juniors to take the Work Keys test and earn certification. The certification is to improve hiring and employee retention, help provide employees who have the skills needed and help students attain success in landing a career.
To view the Chamber leadership this year,click below:
THANK YOU to those businesses and individuals who have already committed to volunteering or donating items.
Please click here to emailDiana with times you can work or items you can donate. Monetary donations also welcome, made payable to the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, and we can purchase items needed.
Physical items or monetary donations may be dropped off at the Chamber through 5 pm Thursday.
Contact Lindsay Madison at the Chamber with any questions, 620-223-3566, or [email protected].
Join us at the First Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet, Tuesday, January 28th, 2020!
8:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Held at Papa Don’s
Rita Schroeder, Administrative Assistant
Lindsay Madison, Executive Director
620-223-3566
These informal, quarterly meetings are hosted by the Chamber for downtown business owners, representatives and community members to network and share ideas on events, promotions and anything related to downtown. Coffee, juice and light refreshments will be served.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce the Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet will be held Tuesday, January 28th from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Papa Don’s Pizza, 10 N. Main Street.
These informal, quarterly meetings are hosted by the Chamber for downtown business owners, representatives and community members to network and share ideas on events, promotions and anything related to downtown. Coffee, juice and light refreshments will be served.
Our Quarterly Downtown Meetings will be held on that first Tuesday of the quarter.
Please join us Tuesday, January 28th, 2020 for the Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet. Contact the Chamber at 620-223-3566 with any questions.
Chamber Coffees for 2020! Chamber Coffees take place each Thursday at 8am and are a great way to promote your business or organization with approximately 40-50 people in attendance.
Click here for a current schedule and to view open dates.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces Mistletoe on Main Street, Downtown & Around will be held this Thursday evening,
December 12th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Retailers in the downtown historic district and other locations throughout town will be decked for the holidays with great gift ideas and holiday décor for a fun evening of shopping!
Store locations will have hidden mistletoe that can be found and returned to the Chamber of Commerce in exchange for $10 in Chamber Bucks, and shoppers will also be able to enter their name in a drawing for a chance to win $50 in Chamber Bucks as well.
