Yahoo! Spring has sprung! The Wilber Area Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the members who brought food, volunteered their time or attended the fund raiser to contribute to the success of the Marks/Anthony benefit. Sherry Marks and Gwen Anthony both served as Chamber Officers over the years and Sherry and Edwin Marks were named honorary chamber members for their support to the organization. Sherry contributed countless photos to the paper to support Chamber events and when the chamber was short on volunteers for a downtown event, she recommended the Wilber-Clatonia FBLA members and her husband Ed, to fill those needed vacancies. The fund raiser was a successful community event with sponsorship from the local Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist Churches.

The Garage Sale Trail provided some extra traffic to downtown Wilber this past Friday and Saturday. The Chamber provided funds for advertising in greater Nebraska and Kansas, and Missouri through publication, websites, Facebook, signs, posters and radio. Thanks to GST head coordinator Trenda Zabka of Swanton and to Wilber Chairman Heidi Pospisil for the great maps of the Wilber garage sales. The Wilber maps could be found on the Wilber Chamber of Commerce website. Hundreds of dollars are spent in advertising to make the Garage Sale Trail a success. Hats off to the families who hosted garage sales for this fun weekend. Any time we can entice visitors to Wilber, they are going to visit and make purchases with our local merchants.

The Farmer’s Market will open on Thursday, May 22 at the Hotel Wilber Garden from 4:00 to 6:30 pm. Stop by for some locally grown produce or baked goods. Scott Woitalewicz is in charge of this weekly event. If you would like a cigarette holder for your business, Scott is also the contact person.

Saturday, May 17th, Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools will graduate 34 students. As we honor and celebrate this milestone of life, please check in early with our local businesses for graduation reception needs. We are fortunate to have some fine merchants providing quality products in our town. Please Shop Wilber. The Chamber will support the Alumni Banquet on Saturday, June 7th at the Wilber Sokol Hall.

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee has been ordered and tickets will soon be available to purchase. Only 350 tickets will be sold. Profits from this fund raiser help to support the town. $10,000.00 was given to the Fire Department in December and $3500.00 was recently given to the Wilber Youth Organization for football helmets and bats.

Don’t forget to invite family or friends to the Independence Day Celebration at the Wilber Care Center on Wednesday evening, July 2, 2014. A free picnic meal, games, polka music, grand stand entertainment and fireworks will complete the evening. Please plan to attend and bring a guest.

We are grateful to the 51 business members and 18 individual members who make up the Wilber Area of Chamber of Commerce. A good group of people who are dedicated to working together for the benefit of our town, Wilber. Watch the paper for the listing of this fine group!

In closing I have attached an article written by the late Sherry Marks in 2011 for the Teacher’s Breakfast. Sherry was a great life-time promoter of Wilber and she will be sadly missed by our community.

As always,

Sheryl Kastanek

Happy Easter! The Wilber Area Chamber of Commerce is grateful to the many Wilber area businesses and individuals who are members of the chamber organization. It is a pleasure to work with a group who wants to make Wilber even better. Hats off to the membership committee of Twila Wanek and John Brickner for their zest and energy on the committee. Please “Shop Wilber” as much as possible as we are fortunate to have a fine business district and want to keep it that way.

Unfortunately we all know of individuals who are dealing with poor health. If you are able, please try to support these folks in upcoming fund raisers or by getting them some “Chamber Bucks”. Kay Sukovaty at Kalkwarf and Smith Law Office can help with any Chamber Buck denomination you may need to purchase. Remember the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19 at the Wilber Legion Park. The next weekend is busy with the Wilber-Clatonia Elementary Carnival on Friday evening, April 25th and Prom will be held on Saturday, April 26th. The Chamber provides funds to promote these events.

The 2nd Annual Garage Sale Trail will take place on May 2 and 3. Communities included on the trail are: Clatonia, DeWitt, Plymouth, Western, Swanton and Wilber. Last year, guests from five states were represented along the trail. If you are interested in holding a garage sale, call Wilber Chairman, Heidi Pospisil, 402-239-6111 to get your residence on the map for only $5.00. This is an inexpensive advertising fee. The Garage Sale Trail committee spends hundreds of dollars in advertising expense to promote this worthwhile event across the state. If you don’t have a garage, you can bring your merchandise to Sokol Hall and rent tables for $10.00 each for the event.

Don’t forget to get your favorite recipe to the Wilber Care Center before May 1 for their new cookbook.

The Wilber Chamber of Commerce encourages residents of our community to take part in the Fourth of July Celebration at the Wilber Care Center on Wednesday, July 2, 2014. This is a great 4th of July event. Invite your neighbors or friends and come to the Care Center for a good meal and a evening of fine entertainment for everyone. Along with polka music, a special grand stand musical performance will take place, followed by fireworks. Invite a neighbor and come to the south lot of the Wilber Care Center for a hometown 4th of July event. Thanks to the downtown flower box committee for sprucing up downtown with the lovely barn quilt squares in each flower box. Welcome Spring!

Welcome Spring! The Wilber Chamber of Commerce is appreciative of Twila Wanek and John Brickner for their great job on the membership drive campaign. We are grateful for the support of our local merchants. Individual memberships are available to those wanting to support downtown, but who do not own a business. I am pleased with the desire of many of our local people who want to make Wilber even better.

The Chamber has given financial support to the Wilber-American Legion Auxiliary Easter Egg on April 19th, the Wilber-Clatonia Elementary School Carnival on April 25th and the Post Prom Event of April 26th. Chamber Bucks will be provided to Alumni Banquet guests on June 7th. The Wilber Care Center will host a Fourth of July celebration on Wednesday, July 2nd. The Wilber Chamber of Commerce will provide workers and donations for fireworks and music for this community event.

A lucky winner will receive a Jeep Cherokee for the 2014 vehicle raffle held during the Czech Festival. Get your chance to win a new vehicle and offer support to the Chamber! Tickets will be available in early summer. You are encouraged to “buy early” as we have had early sellouts of raffle tickets the last few years. Over the years, profits from this event have supported city beautification, local youth organizations and the Wilber Volunteer Fire Department.

Looking for a great gift idea? Chamber Bucks can be used at local Chamber members for a variety of goods and merchandise. To purchase Chamber Bucks, give Kay Sukovaty a call at Kalkwarf and Smith Law Office.

We were sorry to receive news of Dave Newmyer giving up his job of putting up downtown welcome flags for holidays and special events. The Newmyer family has been very dedicated to this project and have served for over 20 years to provide a festive look to the downtown streets of Wilber. We are grateful to Dave Newmyer and his family. We wish the best to the Ryan Znamenacek family as they take over this important job.

Good Day! I would like to welcome you to the Wilber Area Chamber of Commerce organization. In the next week you will be receiving a visit from the Chamber Membership Committee consisting of Twila Wanek, John Brickner and Danni Klasek. We invite you to be a part of the Wilber Chamber of Commerce as we work together to keep our community strong. By being a member of the Chamber your business will receive publication in the newspaper, on the Chamber of Commerce website, the Chamber’s Facebook page and may be eligible to accept Chamber Bucks. As president of the Chamber, I look forward to working together with you as we keep Wilber growing. I have included a note from the Zajicek Community Builder Award recipient and past president, Brian Florian.

As always,

Sheryl Kastanek

 

Dear Wilber Area Chamber Members,

Thank you for the awesome honor of the Zajicek Community Builder Award. We have been gifted with some of the most amazing people to work with in this community, that were more deserving than us. Thank you for your help, your guidance and the most precious gift, your friendship. Also we are blessed with all of you that give your time and talents to this community to help keep our town prosperous.

Thanks again,

Brian and Judy Florian