On August 24th, following more than one year of construction, Wamego Health Center officially cut the ribbon on their remodeled and expanded facility. Hospital and community leaders commented on the importance of this project to ensure the highest quality care for area residents both now and into the future. More information about the Wamego Health Center and the Wamego Family Clinic can be found at https://wamegohealthcenter.org
Wamego Area Chamber of Commerce Board members and staff hosted the annual Back-to-School Teachers Breakfast on Friday, August 10th at Wamego Middle School. Chamber President Jeff Wick expressed his gratitude to all USD 320 teachers and staff for everything that they do in the Wamego community and wished them a successful 2018-2019 school year.
Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer held a press conference at Wamego’s Caterpillar facility on July 18th to announce improvements to be made to Kansas Hwy 99 between Wamego and I-70. These improvements will increase safety and facilitate transportation of materials and products by Wamego-area businesses. Governor Colyer also noted continued support of the Wamego Industrial Commerce Route project.
Celebrate Freedom in Wamego is quickly approaching. Join us this 4th of July for a full day of family fun and celebrations. From the car show, to the carnival, musical performances, the 147th Annual Independence Day Parade, and of course – FIREWORKS, there’s something for everyone in Wamego on the 4th! Your one-stop-shop for Celebrate Freedom in Wamego is VisitWamego.com. Find more information on schedules, places to eat, things to do and what to bring. We look forward to seeing you in Wamego on July 4th!
Warm temperatures did little to stop crowds from visiting The Wall That Heals in Wamego City Park on June 13-17. The traveling 3/4-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial stopped in Wamego as part of it’s 38-city 2018 National Tour.
“We are proud to partner with Caterpillar to host the Wall in Wamego and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam,” said Daryn Soldan, Executive Director of the Wamego Area Chamber of Commerce, “this has been an incredible opportunity to remember and educate our community on this impactful period in our history.”
Over 200 dedicated volunteers helped set-up, take-down and staff the wall 24-hours per day during it’s stay in Wamego. An Opening Ceremony was held on June 14th and speakers included Roger Donlon, the first recipient of the Medal of Honor in Vietnam, as well as Tracey Mann, Kansas Lt. Governor. The Closing Ceremony on June 17th included remarks by retired Lt. General Michael Dodson and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran.
More information on The Wall That Heals and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund can be found at www.TheWallThatHeals.org. Additional event pictures, videos and media coverage is posted on the Wamego Chamber Facebook page.
Caterpillar Wamego Operations and the Wamego Area Chamber of Commerce are partnering to bring THE WALL THAT HEALS, a ¾-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, along with a mobile Education Center, to Wamego, Kansas, on June 14-17, 2018. THE WALL THAT HEALS will be located in the Wamego City Park and is open to the public and free to attend. The Wall will be open continuously beginning with the Opening Ceremony at 10:00am on June 14th until the Closing Ceremony at 1:00pm on June 17th.
More schedule details and information about the Wall’s visit to Wamego can be found at http://www.visitwamego.com/events/the-wall-that-heals. Volunteers will play a key role in supporting the Wall’s visit. To learn more about volunteer opportunities and to sign up to volunteer, visit http://signup.com/go/DRexxoY.
THE WALL THAT HEALS honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1982, wants to give all veterans and their family members across America an opportunity to see the Memorial. More information on the VVMF and THE WALL THAT HEALS, including photos and a full 2018 national tour schedule, can be found at www.TheWallThatHeals.org.
“VVMF is pleased to bring THE WALL THAT HEALS mobile exhibit to Wamego, Kansas to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to visit The Wall and honor and remember those who have served and sacrificed,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “We hope it provides an opportunity for healing and an educational experience for the whole community on the impact of the Vietnam War on America.”
“This is a unique opportunity for us to honor those who served in the Vietnam War, as well as the veterans within Caterpillar and in our community,” said Greg Rusk, Global Operations Manager for Caterpillar Work Tools. “We are honored and humbled to be a part of bringing THE WALL THAT HEALS to Wamego.
“It is a pleasure to work with our great community partners at Caterpillar to bring this impactful memorial to Wamego,” said Jeff Wick, President of the Wamego Area Chamber of Commerce. “Our community is known for coming together to support meaningful causes, and THE WALL THAT HEALS will be a wonderful opportunity to band together to honor and remember our servicemen and women.”
The new, larger exhibit includes a three-quarter scale Wall replica that is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will be able to experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C. For the first time in the history of THE WALL THAT HEALS, visitors will be able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall.
More than 250,000 people visited THE WALL THAT HEALS in 2016. Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in nearly 500 U.S. communities, the Four Provinces of Ireland, and Canada. THE WALL THAT HEALS is transported from community to community by a trailer with cases built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile Education Center that tells the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history. The 2018 national THE WALL THAT HEALS tour is hauled through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and the trucking industry and generously sponsored by USAA.
We kick off 2018 with the annual Total Resource Campaign. This campaign wraps the Wamego Area Chamber of Commerce membership and sponsorship outreach into one concerted effort to start the year. Additional information on 2018 events, programming, sponsorship and Chamber membership can be found in the 2018 Membership Information & Application packet. Please contact us at 785-456-7849 with any questions.
We’re excited about all great things the Chamber did in 2017. Highlights include:
Economic Development and Advocacy:
Member and Community Value:
Events, Festivals and Convention & Visitors Bureau Initiatives:
We’re looking forward to continuing these efforts and doing even more in 2018. We look forward to your involvement with the Wamego Area Chamber of Commerce this year!
