Chamber Chatter by Lynne Burns October 28, 2011

Monday evening the spooks and goblins will be out for the 64^th Annual Halloween Parade in Council Grove.  The parade will start at the Carnegie Building at 6 p.m., and children through the fifth grade, along with their parents, are invited to wear their costumes, and walk the parade route. The parade is sponsored by the Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, the Council Grove Kiwanis, the Council Grove Police Department, the Council Grove Fire Department, along with the Council Grove Business and Professional Promoters.  

Before the parade, the Council Grove United Methodist Church Youth Group is sponsoring Trunk or Treat at 5:30. Of course, after the parade, don’t forget to Trick or Treat on Main Street, and Trunk or Treat at the First Baptist Church.

The Community Arts Council is offering an “Introduction to Acrylic Painting,” this Saturday, October 29, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, October 30, from 1 to 4 p.m. The class will be taught at The Rendezvous. The workshop is open to beginning and intermediate artists; Linda Rae, a regional artist is the instructor, and class fee is $85. For more information, contact Linda Shoults at 785-499-3044, or by email at spotnapps@embarqmail.com .

A medical fundraiser for Rodney Pretzer is set for this Sunday, October 30, at Council Grove High School Auditorium. Evidence 2011, from the Calvary Bible College & Theological Seminary will present Proclaiming Grace of God at 3 p.m.  The program is sponsored by the Council Grove High School FCA.

Don’t forget about our effort to Tuck in the Troops. We are still collecting new sets, or very gently used sets of twin sheet sets, for the returning members of the 4-4 Cav, who will be back on January 1^st. We already have quite a few in numbers, but still have many to go to reach 300 by January 1^st! We are also collecting brand new towel sets for the returning soldiers, along with personal hygiene products, and snacks for the soldiers. All donations can be dropped off at the Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism office, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Veterans Day is right around the corner, this is a great way to show support for all our freedom.

Tonight at 7 p.m., at the Council Grove United Methodist Church, the University Of Kansas School Of Music, along with Reach Out Kansas, Inc, and the Zakoura Family Fund will present The Creation of West Side Story. This lecture/concert includes a short lecture on the musical West Side Story, followed by performances of songs from the show. Council Grove is one of three towns slated for the program.

This coming Sunday, from 2 to 4 p.m., the Morris County Historical Society will host a historical tour of Greenwood Cemetery.  Individuals will be portrayed throughout the cemetery, both notable, and not so notable, of early Morris County.  Brian Grove and the Community Arts Council will on site, offering information on the technique of grave stone rubbing. Rubbings will be made of the stones of the individuals being portrayed during the tour. Often rubbings are done to preserve information that can no longer be read on tombstones.

This activity is appropriate for all ages, and families are encouraged to participate. An adult must accompany small children. The tour and rubbing experience are free, and all materials are provided, but contributions will be accepted to the Morris County Historical Society.

Don’t forget next weekend, is The Gathering in the Grove, beginning Friday from 5 to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with Candlelight Charm from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday Gathering in the Grove continues from 1 to 4 p.m.  Don’t forget there is a lot to do in Council Grove!

Chamber Chatter by Lynne Burns October 21, 2011

Thanks to Kelly and Harold Gaston, downtown Council Grove has had a touch of early Christmas in the air. I’m sure you have seen them riding up and down Main Street on the lift, checking for burned out and broken light bulbs on the strings of lights outlining the buildings. It’s just a reminder that the holiday season is really right around the corner.

However, we must not forget that Halloween is just ten days away! The 64^th Annual Council Grove Halloween Parade will be held on Monday, Oct. 31^st, at 6 p.m. The parade will start at the Carnegie Building, where children through 5^th grade, along with their parents are invited to wear their costumes and join in the festivities. The parade is sponsored by the Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, the Council Grove Business and Professional Promoters, the Council Grove Kiwanis, along with the Council Grove Police Department.

The annual Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Banquet and Meeting is set for Thursday, Nov. 10^th, at 6:30 p.m. This year’s dinner will be held at the Council Grove High School Commons Area. We are now taking reservations for businesses who would like to decorate tables. Each table seats eight, and the price is $30 for one, or $50 for two tables. The theme for this year’s banquet is Heritage Harvest. Please call the Chamber office at 620-767-5413, or email us at chamber@tctelco.net for more information or to reserve your tables. 

There are so many activities going on this weekend in Council Grove and Morris County. The Council Grove United Methodist Church will be hosting their Fall Bazaar on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch will be available from 11 to 1, for either dine in or carry out.

At White Memorial Camp, beginning today, Friday Oct. 21^st, at 4 p.m., and tomorrow on Saturday at 2 p.m. until 8 p.m., Oktoberfest begins! For a $5 gate admission fee, you can enjoy hay rack rides, pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, and even more! The event also continues through next weekend on Friday and Saturday.

We are just a few weeks away from the Gathering in the Grove and Candlelight Charm. Gathering in the Grove will begin Friday, Nov. 4, and run through Sunday Nov. 6. at the Carnegie Building, located at 303 West Main. At this fine arts show, the artwork will be displayed with antiques, and exhibited in a gallery atmosphere.  Hours for Gathering in the Grove are Friday, Nov. 4, 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 5, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 6, 1 to 4 p.m.

Also on Saturday, Nov. 5, beginning at 5 p.m., the Country Holiday on the Prairie Plaza begins with Candlelight Charm.  Stores will be serving refreshments, providing giveaways, and drawings. There will be horse-drawn trolley rides, music, and luminaries, along with Dickens’ characters out on the streets. Make your plans now to attend both events, and invite your friends from surrounding communities to come join in our festivities too.

This weekend, take time enjoy the beauty of the Flint Hills in their changing colors and season. Explore the merchants of Council Grove and Morris County and remember to shop at home.

Chamber Chatter by Lynne Burns October 13, 2011

I bet you have all been anxiously been waiting for the announcement of the winners of the Second Architectural Scavenger Hunt. A big drum roll please… The winner of the Ancestors of Council Grove and Hitching Posts is Jared Furmant Jr. Out of the many correctly answered entries, Jared’s was drawn out, and now he is the winner of a $25 chamber gift certificate. The answers to this scavenger hunt were 1. Last Chance Store,  2. Seth Hays Headstone, 3. Sara E. Conn Headstone, 4. The Hays House, 5. 102 Stevens, and 6. The Post Office Oak Museum. Jared, stop by the Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism office anytime Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 and 5 to pick up your chamber gift certificate; and by the way, congratulations!

The children’s architectural scavenger hunt also had plenty of correct entries turned in. To me, it seemed like a much harder scavenger hunt to complete. The correct answers to this one were: 1. Custer Park; 2. Durland Park; 3, Fairground Park; Rotary (Riverwalk ) Park; 5. Washington School; 6. Council Grove Elementary School; and 7. Council Grove Elementary School. Tyler Wright’s name was drawn out of the box; he has also won a chamber gift certificate. Tyler, way to go! Make sure to stop by and pick up your chamber gift certificate. We will have our next architectural scavenger hunts out just in time for the holiday season. Watch for the scavenger hunt on Facebook, our website at councilgrove.com, and in area businesses.

Fall in the Flint Hills is sure a lovely time of year, and we sure have had lots of visitors in Council Grove enjoying the area. Women’s church groups, bicyclists, retired teachers, even a horseback rider going down Main Street; however, this weekend will be really busy. Friday night, from 5 to 8 p.m., don’t miss out on Art Block Party II in the 200 block of West Main. Events will be going on at Alexander Artworks and The Blackie Nelson Gallery, Historic Grounds, Valerie’s Gifts and Such, La Hacienda, and Flint Hills Mercantile. There will be cowboys, bats, and werewolves, oh my!

Saturday, there will be nearly 350 Boy Scouts in the area, camping at Canning Creek Cove at Council Grove Reservoir. You will see Scouts all over town, on historic tours, hikes, and all kinds of other activities.  A special thank you to all the Scout leaders who helped to arrange Council Grove as the location for this Scouting event!

Next Friday, October 21^st, Farmers and Drovers Bank is sponsoring a community team day. They are asking the community to help fill Care and Share’s pockets by showing your support for your favorite team. With a $5 donation, made by October 20, at Farmers and Drovers Bank supporters can wear their favorite school colors the following day. Care and Share is in need of our help; and what better way to do it.

Planning is underway for the annual Chamber Banquet, set for Thursday, November 10, at 6:30 p.m. The banquet will be held this year at the Council Grove High School Commons Area; and the theme will be Heritage Harvest. Tables for decorating by businesses are available at $30 each or two for $50. Please call the chamber office now at 620-767-5413 to reserve your tables, or email us at chamber@tctelco.net. We will have more information available soon about the annual chamber banquet. Also, please watch for information on Facebook at Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, and on our website at www.councilgrove.com

Washunga Days 2012 committees are moving right along in planning and preparation of the 30^th annual event to be held next year. Because of issues with the carnival, it was voted not to invite back the same carnival company. However, we were not able to locate another carnival company, so we have decided that Washunga Days 2012 will not have a carnival.

The entertainment committee has lots of new ideas, and is getting ready to run a sponsorship drive for the event. There is still plenty of time to get involved, all you have to do is come to a meeting. We have not yet set the date for the next Washunga Days 2012 meeting, however, please continue to watch The Republican  for more information. We also have a Facebook page: Washunga Days you can go to and “Like.”

As always, if you have any ideas, suggestions, or even complaints, please give our office a call, email, or stop by Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I will be happy to talk with you. I am always open to suggestions. Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy this beautiful fall weather!

Chamber Chatter by Lynne Burns September 30, 2011

Wasn’t the weather beautiful last Saturday for the Sunflower Sampler? Also, what a great turn out we had for the event! There were many people involved to put together the event; first off, I would like to thank the Dennis Wright and the Council Grove Rotary for sponsoring the Bounce House, Obstacle Course, and Train Ride. White Memorial Camp provided the face painting, and Brian Grove, along with the newly formed Council Grove Junior Pride organized and assisted with the Chalk on the Walk, all along the River Walk!

Afternoon events moved to the eastside of Main, where Deb and Rick Schwertdfeger sponsored the Sunflower Baking Contest. TCT organized the Sunflower Art Contest, and the Council Grove Fired Department Auxiliary sponsored the Sunflower Seed Spitting Contest. We all had a great time participating! In fact, there was even a couple from Gardner, Ks, here in town for the weekend celebrating their third anniversary. They were amazed at how many things we had planned around sunflowers. Of course, there was also birthday cake in honor of Kansas’ 150^th and Seth Hays’ 200^th birthday.

Did you pick up your self-guided Ghost and Heritage Tour? Brochures are still available at the chamber office. Stop by any time Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to pick one up. A special thank you goes out to Derrick Doty and the Council Grove Barber Shop for providing all the information in the brochures.

Projects we are now working on at the Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce are to “Tuck in the Troops,” on January 1^st, 2012, when the 4-4 Cav, returns home from Afghanistan. The 300 young men and women, who will be spending the night in the barracks on January 1^st, will be sleeping on sheets for the first time since their deployment. We have been challenged to help provide brand new, or very gently used twin size sheet sets for these soldiers to sleep on. Response so far to our request has been good, but in order to reach that 300 mark, we need your help. When you are out and about and see that white sale going on, remember our troops, and the sacrifices that they have made for our freedom.  Purchase that twin size sheet set and bring it on down to our office anytime from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and we will add it to our collection.  Your donation will be greatly appreciated, not only by our office, but also by the solider returning from Afghanistan to sleep in their bed on new sheets.

The next three weeks look to be busy for visitors coming to the Council Grove area. Today, on Friday, September 30^th, we have 50^th United Methodist Women visiting. Next week, the Council Grove recreation department is hosting a disc golf tournament, which should bring many visitors to town to compete. On October 15^th, the Boy Scouts are expected in the area, close to 350 total attending a camp out. It’s nice to see the numbers of tourists continuing to hold steady through the fall season.

Have you checked out our new web page? Take some time and go visit www.councilgrove.com. We have designed a new format for the web site, and it will always be a work in progress. We have also added information about local organizations. If you find something there that isn’t quite right, please email us, we will be happy to correct it for you. Also, there is a community calendar we are hosting on the site. Please email us for addition to the calendar at chamber@tctelco.net.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please stop by our office at 207 W. Main, give us a call at 620-767-5413, or email us at chamber@tctelco.net.