Pictured - Gothenburg Community Development Office

P O N Y
Gothenburg
Area Chamber of
Commerce
Board of Directors
Jim Widdifield, President
Janell Rossen, Vice-Pres.
Tonya Steuben, Sec.-Treas.
Bret Tiller, Past Pres.
Kim Johnson
Brandon Kauffman
Laurie Moody
Matt Olsen
Joe Richeson
Sean Sabin
Aaron Coleman, GIC
Jill Rubenthaler, City
E X P R E S S
Exchange
VOL. XXXV
December, 2015
NO. 11
Season’s Greetings!
Season’s Greetings,
As always, I’m amazed at how fast the years seem to go by with this past year being no exception to that
rule. When the clock strikes midnight on December 31 and 2015 is all said and done, this year will go down
in the history books as a year of many changes for the Gothenburg Community Development Office.
When I assumed the Executive Director position on January 1st I wasn’t quite sure of what to expect in my
new role. I knew there would be challenges in the year ahead and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Please
indulge me as I reminisce on just a few of this past years highlights.
Gothenburg
Improvement
Company
Board of Directors
Mike Bacon, President
Amber Burge, Vice-Pres.
Shane Maxwell, Vice-Pres.
Joe Richeson, Vice-Pres.
Nate Wyatt, Vice-Pres.
Aaron Coleman, Sec.
Greg Viergutz, Treasurer
Scott Bartels
Mick Brant
Verlin Janssen
Karl Randecker
Luke Rickertsen
Mike Teahon
Rick Zarek
Dean Kugler, Ex-Off.
Jen Wolf, Ex-Off.
Joyce Hudson, Ex-Off.
Bruce Clymer, Ex-Off.
Angie Richeson, Ex-Off.
CDO Staff
Matt Weiss
Executive Director
June Blauvelt, Event &
Tourism Coordinator
Heather Combs Platter
Admin. Asst.
308-537-3505
Fax 308-537-2541
Chamber @gothenburgdelivers.com
At the beginning of the year, Executive Director Anne Anderson helped with much needed training and then
handed over the reins and officially retired (for a 2nd time) from the CDO. Her experience, commitment and
guidance was very much appreciated. Becky Boson had also stayed on with us through January to help with
this transition.
Fortunately for all of us June Blauvelt with her numerous years of experience in the CDO remained on as a
faithful cornerstone for our office as the Event & Tourism Coordinator. I can only imagine what life would
have been like without her knowledge, imagination, patience and experience to help guide us through this
past year. Thank you June!
This past spring we were fortunate to welcome a new addition to our staff – Heather Combs Platter. She
assumed the Administrative Assistant position and has shared her many talents with us ever since. Her eye
for detail and flair for the written word is evident in the enhanced publications and mailings our office
currently produces. Also truly appreciated is her friendly greeting of visitors and members either by telephone
or in person. Thank you Heather!
Many of the changes that have happened over the past year have added much more value to your chamber
membership. Most notably is a beautiful new user friendly website along with a new billing/software
system (Chamber Nation) that allows members the opportunity to have their own webpage (traffic catcher)
and provides each user access to numerous benefits that have never been offered before. A lot of great things
are on the horizon for our members – please stay tuned.
I would like to personally thank each of you for your patience, understanding and support
over this past year. We truly look forward to your continued partnership in 2016.
Matt Weiss
Executive Director, Gothenburg Community Development Office
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE—GOTHENBURG IMPROVEMENT COMPANY
1
Busy!
We’ve been THANK YOU
Here’s what your Community
Development Office and it’s
committees have been doing lately…
AG
Seeking sponsorships for the 2016
Nebraska State Hand Cornhusking
contest.
AMBASSADORS
Continuing to recognize Chamber
member businesses with TYFYF
Awards. Planning to help with the
Shining Lights display at Blue Heron
Campground.
OFFICE
Preparing for holiday events and
promoting local shopping in
Gothenburg. Working with the
Chamber of Commerce Board of
Directors to finalize the 2016
operating budget.
BUSINESS PROMOTION
Planning the upcoming holiday
promotions and events.
PD & E
Presenting WOW awards and
planning for 2016 seminars.
PONY EXPRESS STATION
The station closed for the season
on Saturday, October 31st.
Merchandise is available to purchase at the Chamber office.
GIC
Held their Annual Meeting on
Thursday, November 12th at
Monsanto.
TOURISM
Looking forward to promoting
tourism in Gothenburg during the
year to come!
...to all of our Chamber Members for
your continued support.
...to Gothenburg Chamber Board
of Directors for giving of your time
to serve the chamber member
businesses.
...To GIC for developing a new site
to recruit new business.
...to Gothenburg Memorial Hospital for hosting a successful Pink Out
event.
...to Gothenburg FFA members
for participating in Stop Hunger Now
and the Backpack Program
...to All Committee members for
generously giving of your time to
support community activities,
recognize local accomplishments and
promote businesses in Gothenburg.
...to Shoppers who stayed local and
supported Gothenburg Businesses
during Black Friday and Small
Business Saturday.
...to Community members and
Businesses who generously give to
those in need during the holidays.
HATS OFF
...to Gothenburg High School
Volleyball Team for advancing to
Districts
…to Gothenburg High School One
Act for receiving the award for
Outstanding Comedy during the
Kearney High One Act Contest
...to Gothenburg TeamMates for
completing a recycling contest.
Winners were Karlee Mayers and
mentor Jan Gill. Runner-up was
Hallie Miller and mentor Jill Boyd.
…to Gothenburg Mobility
Awareness Group for donating a
sand table and cover for the Dudley
Elementary Playground.
...to the memberships of All Points
Cooperative and Country
Partners Cooperative for
approving the unification of the two
companies effective beginning
February 1, 2016.
...to Gothenburg community for
donating 294 boxes for Operation
Christmas Child.
2
Are you helping Santa
fill stockings this year?
Don’t forget about Swede
Bucks! They can be
purchased for any amount
and are available in $5 and
$20 denominations. The
best part...they can be
personalized from the Jolly
Man himself. Contact the
Chamber for Details!
GOTHENBURG
Its more than just a place…it’s a state of mind.
Tip of the Month: Online Deals
The Member-to-Member deals are a great
way for Chamber members to offer special
discounts to other chamber members. You
can either provide your coupon as text or
upload an image. Follow the steps below
to create your Member-to-Member deal.
CALENDAR
December 2015
2—Magic on Mainstreet
3—Business Promotion Meeting,
8:00 am*
Step 1:
3—Ambassadors
Click the “Load Deals” link above
the Members Area Feature.
8—Chamber Board Meeting,
11:30 am*
Step 4:
Your coupon is uploaded and active.
You may utilize the links provided
to personally share your coupon.
15—31 — Shining Lights Display,
Blue Heron Campground
24—Christmas Eve
CDO Office Closed
25—Merry Christmas!
CDO Office Closed
January 1, 2016
Happy New Year!
Office Closed!
Step 2:
Click the “Add Coupon” link.
* CDO Conference Room
For a listing of Chamber Member
Open Houses, click here to be
directed to page 6
Step 3:
Enter start and expiration date,
publish options, title, description
and disclaimer. You may also
upload a graphic. Once all
information is entered click
“Continue” or “Continue and
Share” to link to social media.
Step 5:
To view all Member-to-Member
deals, go to the Information
Resources section of the Members
Area Features and click
“Member-to-Member”
Step 6:
Search local specials by Member
Category or Member Name and the
click the deal you want.
Step 7:
Print your coupon and
shop at a Chamber
member business.
3
Thank you for Your Faith
Presented by the Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors
The Gothenburg Ambassadors presented a Thank You For Your Faith award to Sabin’s Body Shop.
They recently expanded their business and moved to their current location at 402 8th Street.
Pictured with a group of Ambassadors are Sean and Randy Sabin, owners of Sabin’s Body Shop
December 15—31, 2015
Visit the Shining Lights Display at the Blue Heron Campground
6:00 pm—10:00 pm
FREE Movie Matinee
The Lions Club will be showing the movie “Home” on
Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 1:30 pm at the Sun
Theatre. The movie is free to all and Santa will make
an appearance after the movie.
4
Thank you for Your Faith
Presented by the Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors
The Gothenburg Ambassadors presented a Thank You For Your Faith award to Hiebner’s Chiropractic.
They recently moved their business to their current location at 815 Lake Avenue.
Pictured with a group of Ambassadors is Dr. Royce Hiebner, owner of Hiebner Chiropractic
The Gothenburg Ambassadors presented a Thank You For Your Faith award to Gateway Realty of
Gothenburg. They recently remodeled the building front and office space at 1006 Lake Avenue.
Pictured with a group of Ambassadors is Regis Swanson, owner of Gateway Realty of Gothenburg.
5
The Gothenburg Community Development Office will be closed Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day to allow our staff to spend time with their families.
The office will also be closed on Friday, January 1,2016.
We wish our Chamber Members, the Chamber Board of Directors and all of our
wonderful volunteers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Holiday Open Houses...
Please support your fellow Chamber Member Businesses
and join them during their holiday Open Houses.
Wednesday, December 2
Wednesday, December 9
Wednesday, December 16
Pinpoint
2:00 pm—8:00 pm
Ampride
8:00 am—5:00 pm
Community Development Office
9:00 am—4:00 pm
Thursday, December 3
The Home Agency
9:00 am—4:00 pm
Ribbons & Roses
9:00 am—5:30 pm
Gothenburg Public Library
9:00 am—6:00 pm
First State Insurance
10:00 am—4:00 pm
Thursday, December 10
Thursday, December 17
Gothenburg Realty
11:00 am—3:00 pm
State Farm, Heidi Bazata
10:00 am—3:00 pm
Edward Jones
9:00 am—4:00 pm
First State Bank
Main Bank: 9:00 am—4:00 pm
Auto Bank: 8:00 am—5:00 pm
Five Star Flooring
9:00 am—5:30 pm
Monday, December 7
Gothenburg State Bank
9:00 am—4:00 pm
Gateway Realty
1:00 pm—3:00 pm
Mid-Nebraska Realty
10:00 am—2:00 pm
State Farm, Donna Cahill
10:00 am—3:00 pm
6
Click Here
for a
Printable Calendar
Spotlight on Membership
Thanks for investing in your Chamber, GIC & community!
Chamber
Thank you for investing in your Chamber and community! We appreciate the support of all
members and hope all members do business with one another. Please welcome the following
new businesses to the Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce:
MOPS—Mothers of Preschoolers
Paw Prints in Dawson County
Being a mom is a challenging and sometimes
lonely job. If you are a mother of a
preschooler (pregnancy through kindergarten)
and long for some “grown-up” time, then
MOPS welcomes you!
MOPS is a non-denominational, Christian
organization dedicated to meeting the needs
of mothers of young children. The women in
MOPS come from different backgrounds, yet
have similar needs and a shared desire to be
the best moms they can be.
Paw Prints in Dawson County was established
to help inform residents of Dawson County
about the need to spay and neuter animals;
raise awareness about the pet overpopulation
in the communities and how we can help stop
it by sterilizing animals.
Non-profit Organization that relies on donations and grants. All members are volunteers.
Meeting Dates/Times
1st & 3rd Tuesdays—9:30 –11:30 am
September thru April
Contact:
[email protected]
(308) 325-9680
Click Here to Visit our Website
First Baptist Church
1002 Avenue C, Gothenburg
Contact: Katrina Carter at (308) 537-4477
2016 Chamber Member Dues & Highlights
As we approach 2016 we are looking forward to an exciting year of serving our Chamber Members. We
have been listening and understand that you are looking for more value with your membership. When
you receive your 2016 membership renewal, you will notice some changes to the Membership Structure.
Stay tuned for details about the exciting new member benefits!
7
November 27—December 21
ChamberLynn the Chamber Elf will be traveling
to see some of our members this year!
Check the Chamber social media accounts each day to discover her
location and be entered into a drawing for $200 in Swede Bucks!
Simply snap a photo of Chamberlynn and post to any of the
Chamber social media accounts with #chamberlynn
Pony Express Riders Foundation
Christmas Card Ride
Looking for a fun and
unique way to send
your Christmas Cards?
Have them delivered
via the Pony Express!
You may drop off your
pre-addressed
Christmas cards
(stamped with appropriate USPS Postage) at the Gothenburg Public Library now
through Friday, December 11, 2015. The Pony Express will
ride through Gothenburg on Saturday, December 12th to
pick up the postcards from the library.
**If you would like to see the Pony Express riders, they plan to leave
Cozad at approximately 10:00 am on December 12th and travel
west to Gothenburg.
On Dasher...on Dancer…
on Prancer...on Vixen…
on Comet…on Cupid…
on Donner...on Blitzen…
But who is the most
famous reindeer of all?
RUDOLPH!!
Thank you to the following
chamber members for
providing the correct
answer!
Ruthie Ostergard
Gothenburg State Bank
Christy Aden
Edward Jones
8
An eye on Tourism...
DET ANDRA GÖTEBORG
The Other Gothenburg
The Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee would like to thank the businesses who helped
to sponsor “The Other Gothenburg” book:
Pony Express Chevrolet / First State Bank / Peterson’s Supermarket
Gothenburg Noon Rotary / Horizon Ag / Comfort Suites
Metzger Renovations / Mid-Nebraska Realty / First State Insurance
Brand Electric / Sun Theatre / Nebraska Barn & Grill
All Points Cooperative / Nebraska Salt & Grain
The Other Gothenburg is a coffee-table book written and compiled
by Johan Nerman and John Wennerberg of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Johan and John spent the summer of 2014 in Gothenburg, Nebraska
meeting with people and learning about life in our community. The
people interviewed for the book gave the authors a glimpse into
their lives and told their story about living in Gothenburg.
The book, which is printed in Swedish with an English translation
supplement, is available for purchase at the Chamber office* for
$44.99 plus tax. As the tourism committee helped fund the book,
they received 100 copies to sell. Therefore, all proceeds from the
books sold at the Chamber office will be used to support the Pony
Express Station.
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Other Gothenburg,
or, if you pre-ordered a copy or are on the list to receive a
complimentary copy, you may pick up your book at the Chamber
Office.
*The book may also be purchased from Peterson’s Supermarket for $39.99 plus tax.
2015 Pony Express Postings
Looking for an easy and unique gift idea? We have Gothenburg Pony Express Coffee Cups available
in a variety of colors. The uses for these mugs
are endless...beyond the obvious of holding
a good cup of coffee or cocoa, the cups also
make a great desk accessory for holding pens
and pencils, or a candy dish or a container
for a potted plant...the options are limited
only by your imagination. Stop by the
chamber office to pick up one (or two or even
a set of four) today!
Don’t Forget...All Pony Express and Chamber
merchandise is available for sale at the
Chamber Office.
On sale now for $7.00 each
or 2 for $12.00.
9
Spotlight on Membership
Thanks for investing in your Chamber, GIC & community!
GIC
We appreciate membership support of our economic development efforts.
GIC Annual Meeting
The GIC Annual Meeting was held Thursday, November 12 at Monsanto Learning Center. Over 50 Board
members, ex-officious, stockholders and guests enjoyed a delicious meal catered by The Main Course.
Nate Wyatt, Vice Present presided over the meeting. Stockholders approved the ballot for the Board of
Directors with the re-election of Mike Bacon, Mick Brant, Karl Randecker and Nate Wyatt. Tod Clark was
elected to the board to fill the position previously held by Jim Aden.
Guest speakers, Mick Brant, CEO, Gothenburg Memorial Hospital; Dr. Mike Teahon, Gothenburg
Superintendent of Schools; and Mayor Joyce Hudson spoke about the proposed Wellness Center and
the positive impacts it can have on the health and wellness of the community.
Mission: To encourage business growth and entrepreneurship by promoting Gothenburg as World Class
community resulting in job creation and an outstanding quality of life for its residents.
Award
The PD&E Committee presented a Wow award to
Gothenburg Public Schools Nurse, SueAnn Hubbard.
“I would like to nominate SueAnn Hubbard, the
school nurse for Gothenburg Public Schools for
a WOW award! I have a child who has medical
needs and she always goes above and beyond
when a concern arises with him. She goes out of
her way to help and is able to comfort him when
he is worried or has anxiety. Even with my other
children who do not have special needs, she is
very caring when they are not feeling well. I just
so appreciate the care she gives my children and
all the children at the school.”
10
Pictured: Lisa Jorgenson, Jorgenson Law Office
presenting the WOW Award to SueAnn Hubbard
Where in Gothenburg is this??
Look around Gothenburg and see if you
can find where the image in the picture
to the right is located. Submit your
answer via email:
[email protected]
Answer will be revealed in the January issue of the Pony Express Exchange.
Where in Gothenburg is this??
The Answer to the question from the November Newsletter
The top window of the
Gothenburg Public Library!
11
PONY EXPRESS
GOTHENBURG AREA
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Exchange
Mission Statement
To provide strong leadership to its
business community and to assist
future growth and development in a
changing economic environment.
(U.S.P.S 669-470)
The Pony Express Exchange is published monthly by the Gothenburg Community Development Office at 1001 Lake Avenue with periodicals postage paid at the Gothenburg, NE
69138.
Subscription rate (to members): $16 annually. Gothenburg Improvement Company
members receive lifetime subscription. Send change of address notices to: Pony Express
Exchange, 1001 Lake Avenue, Gothenburg, NE 69138
GOTHENBURG
IMPROVEMENT COMPANY
Mission Statement
To encourage business growth and entrepreneurship by promoting Gothenburg as a
World Class community resulting in job
creation and an outstanding quality of life
for its residents
Platinum
Tech Seal Division
Chamber & GIC Corporate Sponsor
Chamber & GIC Corporate Sponsor
Gold
Professional Financial Consultants, Inc.
Silver
Bacon & Vinton
Law Office
Pony Express
Chevrolet
Cubby’s Truck Plaza
Sabin’s Body Shop
Gothenburg Feed
Products
Stone Hearth
Estates
Hoovestol, Inc.
Peterson’s
Supermarket
Bronze
Cozad Telephone Co.
D&D Feeding Co.
Dawson Tire Service, Inc.
Farm Bureau
Farm Bureau Financial
First State Insurance
Flat Water Tools, Inc.
Franzen, Inc.
Gothenburg Discount
Pharmacy
Gothenburg Public
School
Gothenburg Realty Inc.
Hicken Lumber & Home
Center
Investment Service
Center
Jensen Trucking Co. Inc.
KRVN AM & FM
LandMark Implement
Inc.*
Nebraska Pub Power
Dist.
Nebraska Salt & Grain Co
Pinpoint
Communications
Orscheln Farm & Home
S&S Auto Parts
Shopko Hometown
SourceGas Distribution
TES Truck & Equipment
Sales Inc.
*Chamber & GIC Corporate Sponsor
12