SAVE THE DATE It’s Time for the Ames Chamber Annual Steak Fry: The Thrill of the Grill ·...

The mission of the Ames Chamber of Commerce is to provide our members services that strengthen the economic vitality in Ames and enhance the quality of life in our community.

Chamber UpdateSEPTEMBER 2013

SAVE THE DATE

It’s Time for the Ames Chamber Annual Steak Fry: The Thrill of the Grill

Ames Chamber members and their guests are invited to join the Past Board Chairs of the Ames Chamber for a fun,

casual (no ties allowed!) grill-your-own Steak Fry! Don’t miss out on this great networking event where you can make new contacts and catch up with old Chamber friends. It’s the place to be!

The dinner event is $25 per person and includes steak (a vegetarian option is available upon request) and accompa-nying buffet, beer, non-alcoholic bever-ages and live music! For more informa-tion, please contact Sarah at 232-2310 or [email protected]. Don’t miss out on the event of the season!

Thank you to our Thrill of the Grill sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor: Ames Ford Lincoln

Premier Sponsors: First National Bank, Hy-Vee

Beverage Sponsors: Chitty Garbage, VisionBank

Entertainment Sponsor: The Ames Tribune, ISU Athletics Department, Nel-son Electric

2013 Past Chairs Drinking Mug Sponsor: Converse Conditioned Air

Grill Master Sponsors: Bickford Assisted Living, CIT Signature Trans-portation

Tuesday, September 3, 5-7pm Ames Ford Lincoln (123 Airport Road)

Presented By: Premier Sponsor:

AMES CHAMBER of CoMMERCE | SEPTEMBER 2013PAgE 2

The Chamber Update newsletter is published by the Ames Chamber of Commerce, 1601 Golden Aspen Drive, Suite 110, Ames, IA, 50010; phone: (515) 232-2310; fax: (515) 232-6716; www.ameschamber.com.

2013 BoARD of DiRECToRS

ExECUTiVE CoMMiTTEEBrian Dieter, Chair

Mary Greeley Medical CenterKim Linduska, Chair-Elect/Vice Chair

Des Moines Area Community CollegeCarol Kisling, Treasurer

1430 KASI/105.1 KCCQPam Elliott-Cain, Vice Co-Chairs, government Affairs

Iowa State University Randy Kruse, Vice Chair, Membership

Hy Vee - Lincoln CenterNatalie Lischer, Vice Chair, Community Development

Renewable Energy Groupfrank Nogel, immediate Past Chair

ISU Athletic DepartmentDan Culhane, President/CEo

BoARD MEMBERSLori Bosley

North Grand MallPam Elliott-Cain Iowa State UniversityJohn Crawford Alpha Copies Print CenterBrian Dieter Mary Greeley Medical CenterMaureen Dockstader LWBJ LLPShelly greving ISU 4HKim iiams Bankers TrustJohn Haila

Haila ArchitectureRandy Kruse

Hy Vee - Lincoln CenterCarol Kisling

1430 KASI/105.1 KCCQKim Linduska

Des Moines Area Community CollegeDan Hunziker

Hunziker & Associates, Realtorsfrank Nogel

ISU Athletic DepartmentNatalie Lischer

Renewable Energy GroupJolene Randall

Knapp-Tedesco Insurance

SALUTE To EDUCAToRS

13th annual Salute luncheon celebrates Ames area educators

O n behalf of the Education Connections Committee and the Ames Chamber Board of Directors, we extend our

thanks to all our volunteers and sponsors who contributed to making our 13th annual Salute to Educators luncheons a success! We were pleased to be able to serve free lunches to teachers and faculty members from K-12 schools in Ames, Ballard, Gil-bert, and United (including the parochial schools) great food from B Fabulous BBQ, Olde Main, Pizza Pit, Pizza Ranch and Hy-Vee. Everyone left with a goodie bag stuffed with supplies and coupons from local Chamber member businesses. Please look for photos of this event in the October edition of the Ames Business Monthly.

This event could not happen without the

generous support of our sponsors. We thank the following members for their contributions (sponsors at time of publishing): Premier Sponsors: Greater Iowa Credit Union, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Wells Fargo

Gold Sponsors: McFarland Clinic PC Silver Sponsors: KASI/1430, Friedrich Realty, Sauer-Danfoss, Inc. Bag Sponsor: Alpha Copies & Print Center Support Sponsors: Heartland Technol-ogy Solutions, Dr. Thomas Stark DDS. MS, Black Market Pizza, Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, George White Chevrolet Pon-

tiac, The Salon in Ames, Sylvan Learning Center, Lutheran Services in Iowa, Pyffer-oen Pediatric Dentistry, Integrity Con-struction, TIAA-CREFF, Lisa Heddens, 3M, Wayne E. Clinton & Edna Y. Clinton, Whimze Boutique, LLC, Live Healthy Iowa, Youth & Shelter Services

We would also like to give a special

thank you to Mainstream Living for stuffing 750 goodie bags which were given to all attendees.

Thank you also to Celebrations for providing tablecloths for the event and the following businesses for prize donations: Massage Heights, Shari K’s Estate Jewelry, Chocolaterie Stam, Ameri-can Country.

AMES CHAMBER of CoMMERCE | SEPTEMBER 2013 PAgE 3

Ames Chamber and AEDC staff

• Dan Culhane, President and CEO• Sarah Buss, Director of Membership

and Events• Tiffany Coleman, Director of Busi-

ness Development and Marketing• Angela Davidson, Director of Gov-

ernment Relations and Workforce Devel-opment

• Crystal Davis, Executive Vice Presi-dent

• Lauren Frandsen, Director of Com-munications and Marketing

• Ron Hallenbeck, Executive Vice President, Existing Business and Industry

• Drew Kamp, Director of Story County Community Outreach

• Meghan Meyer, Receptionist• Amy Mogren, Vice President,

Finance and Operations • Cari Hague, Main Street Cultural

District Executive Director• Kim Hanna, Campustown Action

Association Executive Director

LEgiSLATiVE LUNCHEoN

Friday, September 27, 2013Check Chamber website for

lucheon location 11:30 a.m. - Registration and lunch12 p.m. - 1 p.m. - Discussion withschool board members

September Legislative Luncheon welcomes Ames Community School District Board of Directors

M ake plans to join the Chamber on Friday, September 27, for lunch and conversation with members of the Ames Com-

munity School District Board of Directors.

This will be an excellent opportunity to enjoy a Q & A session with our school board members.

Please register online at www.ames-

chamber.com or contact Angela David-son at [email protected]. Your $5 registration fee includes lunch.

We are grateful for the following sponsors whose generous support makes the Chamber’s Legislative Lunches pos-sible: SEPTEMBER LEGISLATIVE LUNCH SPONSOR

Greater Iowa Credit Union

2013 LEGISLATIVE LUNCH SEASON SPONSORS

Bolton & Menk, Inc. Harold Pike Construction Hastings Gartin & Boettger,

LLP

Mainstream Living, Inc.

2013 TAKING LEADERSHIP SPONSORS

BASF Converse Conditioned Air Mary Greeley Medical Center Renewable Energy Group

TRAVEL oPPoRTUNiTy

Explore China with the AmesChamber

We invite you to join the Ames Chamber in Octo-ber 2014 as we experi-ence the ancient culture

of China. Explore the city of Shanghai, the largest city by population in the

People’s Republic of China. Shanghai is a global city, with influence in com-merce, culture, finance, media, fashion, technology, and transport. Other sites on the trip include Beijing, the Forbidden City, Suzhou, and

Hangzou. Come experience the trip of a lifetime!

Contact Crystal Davis at 232-2310 or via email at [email protected] to learn more.


WoRKfoRCE

Looking for a new job? Looking for a new employee? Visit www.WorkInAmes.com

T he next time your business has a job or internship opening, be sure to take advantage of the Ames Economic Development

Commission’s local job board website, www.WorkInAmes.com.

Organizations can post jobs and internships at no cost, while job seekers have a resource to search for great work opportunities in the Ames/Story County area!

If you have any questions regard-ing the website, please contact Angela Davidson at [email protected] or 515-232-2310. Smart Choice

TM

CAREER fAiRS

Ames Economic Development Commission will be at Iowa State University career fairs

Based on conversations with orga-nizations throughout the com-munity, the Ames Economic Development Commission

(AEDC) has found workforce avail-ability is a consistent issue and opportu-nity which needs to be addressed in the region. As a result, the AEDC has introduced a new Workforce Development Initiative that will promote the area by attracting and retaining qualified workers.

In an effort to recruit ISU students to stay in the Ames/Story County area, the AEDC will participate in several ISU Career Fairs this fall with the goal of encouraging students to intern at local organizations as well as consider stay-ing in the Ames/Story County area after graduation.

Many students don’t realize the opportunities that are available to them to intern and/or begin their professional

careers here in our community. By being present at ISU’s Career Fairs the AEDC

increases awareness. The end result will be more students and graduates gaining valuable work experience and more local businesses finding skilled employees and interns.

The AEDC’s presence at the career fairs is in support of their on-going Workforce Development Initiative.

The Initiative concentrates on meet-ing Ames and Story County workforce needs with a three-pronged plan of action: development of a local job post-ing website, concentration on internship programs, and a talent recruitment pro-gram.


September calendar

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

AEDC: Ames Economic Development Commission • BAH: Business After Hours • CAA: Campustown Action Association • C: Chamber Office • fAW: Friday After Work • L&L: Lunch & Learn • R/C: Ribbon Cutting • yPA: Young Professionals of Ames • yLA: Youth Leadership Ames

Labor Day

First Day of Autumn

8am: Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market (400 block Main Street)




LAST MARKET DAY!

5 p.m.: Past Chairs’ Steak Fry (Ames Ford Lincoln)

10 a.m.: Octagon Art Festival (Main Street, Ames)

11:30 a.m.: Legis. Lunch (TBD)

7:30 a.m.: Business @ Breakfast

5 p.m.: MusicWalk (Main Street)

5 p.m.: YPA FAW (Dublin Bay)

11:30 a.m.: YPA Lunch & Learn

Don’t miss out!

It’s the last month to visit the Ames Main Street

Farmers’ Market!


RiBBoN CUTTiNgS

Celebrate with a ribbon cutting

If your business has completed a major remodeling project, moved to a new location, or changed owner-ship, you need to take advantage of

the Chamber’s Ribbon Cutting service that brings members and the media to you.

With each Ribbon Cutting, your busi-ness will be exposed to the Ames com-munity and Story County. Event photos of your Ribbon Cutting will be pub-lished in the Chamber’s Weekly Email Update and the Ames Business Monthly. A Ribbon Cutting is a great way to invite people to your location and showcase your business.

After the fun has been had and the ribbon has been cut, the Chamber will frame your best photo and deliver it to your place of business along with a Chamber business card holder full of member businesses that attended your celebration.

Not only does this opportunity get people to your place of business, but it offers a unique networking environment in addition to some great marketing. So what are you waiting for? Call Sarah at (515) 232-2310 to schedule your Ribbon Cutting today!

Marin Felz-Edward Jones, 208 Main Street

United Way of Story County, 315 Clark

Knapp Tedesco, 627 Main Street

"


Join the Chamber.

Make new con-nections, promote your business, take advantage of profes-sional development programs and more when you join the Ames Chamber of Commerce. Contact Membership Director Sarah Buss at (515) 232-2310 for more in-formation on how you or your organization can become a Cham-ber member. When you join, here are some of the many benefits you can take advantage of right away. •Postcouponson our Web site for fREE. •AttendmonthlyBusiness After Hours, Business at Break-fasts, Business im-provement forums and more for fREE. •Takeadvantageof reasonably priced ways to promote your business such as ribbon cuttings and mailing labels, just to name a few. •DiscountedYoungProfessionals of Ames membership (ages 21 to 40).

Welcome, new Ames Chamber members

Midwest Office Technology has been providing the finest business technology solutions and unparalleled service and support throughout areas in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri since 1960. Locally-owned and operated, MOT is committed to

ongoing investments in education, technology tools and resources to better serve clients. Knowing that no two businesses are the same, MOT works to find the perfect combination of products and services to fit the needs of each and every business. With a simple goal of making office work easier, they are dedicated to helping your business overcome technology chal-lenges. Visit www.motsolutions.com for more information or call Seth Ramacker for an appointment at 515-283-2513.

Fortress Wealth Management & Insurance Services pro-vides expertise to deliver customized financial packages designed to help you reach your goals. The company’s first branch recently opened in Ames, and Tim Hibbing will serve as its manager. He

is in his ninth year as an auto-home-life-commercial insurance consultant. While FWM is licensed for business in nine states, 99% of Tim’s business is in Central Iowa, a place he has called home for over 30 years. To con-tact him call 515-290-9000 or look him up on his website at www.thefor-tress.net

Sherwin-Williams is a world-wide supplier of paint and finishes. Carrying everything from basic paints, stains and supplies for the home to aerospace finishes, they can provide a product to make your project a success. Founded in 1866, Sherwin-Williams is not

only the largest producer of paints and coatings in the United States, but it is among the largest producers in the world. With a new location on South Duff, Sherwin-Williams is here to help you with all your painting needs. Visit their Ames location at 1624 S Duff Ave.

Heartland Finishes cares about quality, reliability, safety and service when it comes to construction projects. With over 150 combined years in the industry, the supervisory and manage-ment teams have long-term relationships with clients, architects

and suppliers, which allow them to quickly assemble a specialized team to meet the client’s needs. Projects including finishing, framing and decora-tive services can be completed to perfect the home or business. Visit www.heartlandfinishes.com for more information or to contact Heartland Finish-es about a future project at 515-202-8986.

NETWoRKiNg

Business At Breakfast Location: Alfred’s Carpet & Decorating, 128 Lincoln WayFood sponsored by: Alpha Copies, 4700 Mortensen Rd #101 Ames, IA 500147:30 to 8:30 a.m. Thursday, September 26th, 2013

Join us at Alpha Copies, 3615 Lin-coln Way, to give a two minute “shameless plug” about your organi-zation while handing out

business cards, brochures and/or any other promotional materials that describe your business or organization. If you’ve never attended before, make this month your first!

We purposely keep this event small

to ensure great one-on-one interaction with fellow Chamber members, so your RSVP is very important. Please register by calling the Chamber office no later than noon on Tuesday, September 24th. The event and continental breakfast are free, but you must RSVP to participate. See you at Breakfast!


AMES CHAMBER of CoMMERCE AMBASSADoRS

Steve Bock, RE/MAX Real Estate CenterAndrea Erickson, DupontPaula Brown, First American BankStacy Dreyer, First National BankAngela ferguson, Sam’s ClubLinda gibbs, Greater Iowa Credit UnionAshley Terrell, Bickford Assisted Living Jason Cunningham, Greater Iowa Credit Union Sheila Mcfarland, Gateway Insurance ServicesWendy Steenhoek, Knap Tedes-co Insurance Joy Leister, Valley Bank Rudy fors, US BankAllyson Walter, Ames Conven-tion and Visitors BureauJan Williams, Heartland Senior ServicesKim Behrendt, Wells Fargo BankJohn Coder, VisionBankNathan Buss, VisionBankMary Beth Scott, Ames TribuneBrad Sargent, Cyclone Contract-ingLauris olson, Ames Bulletin BoardDavid orth, Spirited GivingTom Randall, Tom Randall Real Estate TeamTim Rasmussen, Alfred's Carpet & DecoratingJoe Reimers, Adams Funeral HomeTim Tryon, First National Bank Ames

Thank you to the following members who have donated 10 percent more than their annual dues for Chamber projects:

Because of contributions from members like these, the Ames Chamber can maintain a level of excellence in the services we provide.

M E M B E R S

CHAMBER

Accord Architecture Company/Henkel ConstructionAdam’s MovingAdams funeral HomeAg Leader TechnologyAmes Christian SchoolAmes family DentalAmes golf and Country ClubAmes insurance Center, inc.Ames Racquet & fitness Center inc.Back in Action ChiropracticBallard Community School DistrictBASfBickford Assisted LivingBioVA LLC.Boone & Scenic Valley RailroadCarlos o’Kellys, inc.Central iowa Board of Realtors, inc.Championship DuplicationConamus and Hampton Dental Clinic, P.C.Cyclone LiquorsDavis Brown LawDean Snyder ConstructionDSM Nutritional ProductsEyerly-Ball Community Mental Health Servicesfamily Chiropractic Clinicfour Seasons / Van Wall Equipmentfurman Corporationgateway Hotel and Convention Centergeisinger Construction, inc.

george White Chevroletglobal State MortgageglobalVetLink, L.C.grandgenett family Dental, PCgrandstay Residential Suitesgreat Western Bankgreater iowa Credit UnionHaila Architecture Structure Plan-ningHarris & Co., CPA, PLCHastings gartin & BoettgerHeartland Senior ServicesHickory’s HallHunziker & Associates, RealtorsHunziker, Christy, Shirk Builders, inc.integrity Constructioniowa financial Partners, Steve Hus-tediowa State University Athleticsiowa State University Research ParkiSU BookstoreJeff ’s Pizza ShopJohn and Linda DoyleKingland SystemsLaverne Apartments, LPLifeServe Blood CenterMarrs Wealth ManagementMassage HeightsMembers1st Community Credit UnionMilroy’s TuxedosNagle Signs, inc.Northcrest Community

old ChicagoParty TimePizza Ranch of AmesProplannerPyfferoen Pediatric Dentistry, PLLCQuilting ConnectionRed LobsterRenewable Energy groupRichard HortonRick BrimeyerRobert grathwohlSauer DanfossStoltze & Stoltze family DentistryStory County Agricultural ExtensionSuccess gymnastics AcademyThe CafeThe Jensen groupThe Krell instituteThe Salon in AmesThe Salvation ArmyThe UPS StoreThomas M Stark, D.D.S., M.S.DTravel and TransportTriplett CompaniesVenuWorks, inc.VisionBankWalmart (North Ames)WebfilingsWelch Avenue StationWilson of AmesWork Systems Rehap & fitness


2013 yPA BoardPresident Jenny Pollard, Iowa State

University Alumni AssociationPast-President Shelly greving, ISU

Extension 4-H Youth Development ProgramPresident-Elect Jenni Talbott, McFar-

land Clinic, PCCommunity outreach and Part-

nerships Chair Melissa Hulme, Iowa State University Residence

Community outreach and Part-nerships Co-Chair Teresa Rummer, First National Bank

Leadership and Professional Devel-opment Chair Andrea Hammes Dodge, Mary Greeley Medical Center

Leadership and Professional Devel-opment Co-Chair Nathan Buss, Vision-Bank

Marketing Chair Kristin Pates, Unit-ed Way of Story County

Marketing Co-Chair Jake Talbot, Webfilings

Social Chair Tera Lawson, Iowa State University

Social Co-Chair Haley Cook, Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau

Chamber Liaison/Staff Sarah Buss, Ames Chamber of Commerce

Thank you to our 2012-13 yPA sponsors

Alpha CopiesAmes Chamber of CommerceAmes Community BankFirst National BankGlobal Reach Internet ProductionsHunziker & Associates, RealtorsISU MBAMary Greeley Medical CenterMunn LumberNorth Grand MallNorthwestern MutualRoseland, Mackey, Harris Architects, PC

Connect with yPAVisit www.ypames.com for upcoming

events, committee openings and volunteer opportunities.

Young Professionals of Ames Entrepreneurship: The Important Role YPA Can Play The Merriam-Webster definition of entrepreneur is: one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. One of the most effective ways for many entrepreneurs to help ensure the success of their effort is to build strong relationships within the community. For entrepreneurs under the age of 40 in Ames, a great way to build those relationships is through member-ship in YPA. The combination of social, volunteer and educational opportunities that YPA offers attracts a wide cross sec-tion of Ames’ young professionals and gives business owners the opportunity to participate in excellent programming as they build the relationships that will help make their business a success.

One excellent example is Dr. Bret Bartholomew, who co-owns Bar-tholomew Chiropractic in Ames with his wife Dr. Lindsey Bartholomew. Dr. Bar-tholomew credits the couples’ passion for what they do, along with spending a lot of time getting their business’ name out in the Ames community, with the success

they have found here.After chiropractic school in eastern

Iowa, Bret and Lindsey decided that the atmosphere of a small city combined with all the great amenities to be found here made Ames a great choice for them to locate a chiropractic clinic. After opening their doors, the Bar-tholomews took a “grass roots” tac-tic to growing the business, using networking oppor-tunities across the community to help get their names out there. In the first year they conduct-ed over 100 dif-ferent workshops around Ames with the dual goal of sharing their busi-ness with others AND providing great services. Their workshops included topics like growing healthy children and how to avoid stress. They continue to conduct these types of workshops around

YPA Activities: Friday September 6, 2013, 9:00a.m. – 4:00 p.m.: United Way Day of Caring. Once again this year, YPA is organizing a team to participate in the United Way Day of Caring, an annual event providing vol-unteer service to organizations throughout the community. Visit ww.ypames.com for more information and to sign up to be a part of the YPA Day of Caring team.

Thursday September 12, 2013, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.: YPA THAW. Join us for our September Thursday after Work to net-work and socialize with fellow young pro-fessionals. Location to be determined.

Saturday, September 21, 2013: YPA

KidsZone at the Main Street Farmers’ Market. YPA KidsZone takes place every 3rd Saturday throughout the farmers’ mar-ket season. Stop by with or without chil-dren to show your support!

YPA Lunch and Learn

the community today.They also joined organizations like

YPA as they sought to build their busi-ness by connecting with people in the community. As their business has grown,

their involvement in YPA has evolved as they have gotten more involved and had the opportunity to meet new people. What started out as a way to begin building rela-tionships to advance their business has become a network of friends in the Ames community. Like many YPA members, the Bartholomews don’t always have a great deal of time for external activi-ties, what with a thriving practice and two young children

keeping them busy. However, the opportu-

nity to plug into YPA activities, such as Thursday After Work, sand volleyball, and volunteer opportunities, is a plus for them and allows them to be as active as they can.

YPA members get a chance to meet with local entrepreneur Matt Nissen and learn about Prairie Moon Winery, the business he and his family built from scratch on the north side of Ames (photo credit: Jason Mortvedt)

Drs. Bret and Lindsey Bartholomew of Bartholomew Chiropractic of Ames.


MAiN STREET CULTURAL DiSTRiCT

The very first Downtown Busi-ness Workshop, hosted by the MSCD, was held this summer on Wednesday, June 19th. The

workshop was a great way for business-es in the Ames community to learn from industry leaders about improving their business. The focus of the workshop was to help existing businesses and organiza-tions in the downtown and surrounding areas grow in the unique challenges that they face.

Thirty-five people took advantage of this opportunity and came to listen and learn from the speakers on the top-ics of marketing, brand identity, product trends, investing in your building, culi-nary trends, and networking.

Not only was the workshop a learn-ing experience, it was also a great way to meet other business owners while enjoy-ing different downtown locations on Main Street. The workshop held sessions at Caleb Jamin Studios, Della Viti, DG’s Taphouse, ISU’s Design on Main Studio , Jacquelyn’s Photography, The Octa-gon Center for the Arts, and Olde Main Brewing Company.

“It was nice to have a variety of loca-tions,” says Sarah Martin of Professional Home Ames. She explains that the work-shop allowed her to catch up with other businesses on Main Street and meet new people. Martin adds that, “the round table was fun,” referring to the part of the afternoon when participants gathered around tables at Olde Main to network and discuss topics given to them regard-ing successes and challenges.

“It exceeded my expectations,” says Jess Clyde, owner of London Under-

ground, considering how it was the first business workshop of its kind. He believes that attendance will increase in the years to come and says, “It wouldn’t be difficult to double the attendance next year.”

Main Street Cultural District had the pleasure of working with a num-ber of talented and seasoned profession-als that were happy to come and meet our attendees and teach them throughout the day.

Vada Grantham, professor at DMACC, Tom Swartwood, professor at Drake, and Ann Marie Fiore, profes-sor at Iowa State University were among the six breakout speakers. Mike Holman, well-known chef from the Des Moines area and Tim Reinders, design specialist from Main Street Iowa also headed the smaller, more specialized breakout ses-sions.

Our keynote speaker, Cliff Smith, CEO of GlobalVetLink, started the workshop by sharing his own experi-ences in his career and life paths.

After an eventful day of learn-ing, attendees got to continue reflect-ing and meeting others at the social hour hosted at Della Viti, sponsored by Della Viti and The Salon. Attendees were given drink cards paired with hors d’oeuvres.

Main Street Cultural District thanks all speakers and attendees for coming to our first workshop. We plan to grow this event next summer and look forward to sharing more opportunities for our community to get involved and connected.

Workshop helps local businesses grow

Round Table discussions at Olde Main let workshop particiapants network and discuss “best practices” of their businesses.

Above: Workshop participants listen to a presentation in one of the day’s break-out sessions.

Left: After a day of sessions, the networking continued at Della Viti on Main Street.


MAiN STREET CULTURAL DiSTRiCT

The 43rd Annual Octagon Art Festi-val is just around the corner! There will be plenty for art enthusiasts of all ages to experience. A vari-

ety of free entertainment acts including live bands and performing arts will be pre-sented throughout the day. A wide selec-tion of cuisine catering to anyone’s appetite will available at the festival. Children’s art activities will be available in front of the Octagon Center for the Arts along the 400 block of Douglas for youngsters wanting to create their own works of art. Approxi-mately 100 juried artists from 8 states will fill the Main Street Cultural District with their artistic creations. A wide variety of functional, wearable and decorative art-work is available within any budget. The Octagon art festival is the perfect place to

get an early start on shopping for holiday gifts. Come find that perfect pair of ear-rings, a painting to fill the blank wall or a set of cozy mugs….there’s something for everyone at the Octagon Art Festival! Bring your family and friends to the Main Street Cultural District in downtown Ames on Sunday, September 22, from10 am –5

pm to experience the many wonders of art at the Octagon Art Festival. This event is FREE and open to the public.

For more information regarding the Octagon Art Festival including a festival map and list of participating artists, visit www.octagonarts.org.

Special thanks to the festival sponsors and supporters who make this event pos-sible: Alliant Energy Foundation, Ames Commission on the Arts, Ames Tribune, First National Bank, Iowa Arts Council, Iowa Public Radio, Mediacom and Octa-gon Center for the Arts.

Octagon Art Fest on Main Street

Oktoberfest Q&A with Bill Malone

Emily Miller with the Main Street Cultural District sat down with Bill Malone to get the full scoop on what he’s been planning for

2013’s Oktoberfest celebration….

Emily: Last year’s festival was a big suc-cess how do you plan to top that?

Bill: Last year’s launch was a ton of fun despite cold temperatures, so we decided to go bigger and longer this year. We’ve added more games, a harvest market, and a craft brew tasting event.

Emily: Craft Brew? What does that en-tail?Bill: Paul Livingston is sponsoring the Craft Brew tasting. We will have some 20 different varieties of signature brews. Olde Main, Jasper Brewing, Deschutes, Bell

will all bring their best beers to the event for tasting.

Emily: So will people just be able to sample these beers? Bill: Olde Main is our exclusive beer sponsor this year. Ames is so lucky to have it’s own craft brewer right here on Main Street and we are thrilled to have them be a part of the festival.

Emily: What does the food look like this year? Bill: Strudel House will be bringing au-thentic German food… 5 Different sau-sages, all Sausages are made by an Aus-trian butcher here in the USA, Homemade Austrian potato salad, a mountain of saur

kraut, mixed berry strudels with vanilla sauce and much more!!! Plus all the downtown restaurants will be open.

Emily: Now let’s work off those calories, what are the Guten Tag Games? Bill: The Guten Tag Games are a set of German

challenges for teams of four to complete. We wanted to get some friendly competi-tion going between businesses in the com-munity. We’ll promote this portion of the day to businesses and ask them to sign up teams to compete in Team challenges. It should be fun and easy-going for the com-petitors.

Emily: I’ve heard about a polka band coming to play?Bill: Yes, we’ve got the Maleck’s Fisher-men Band coming to play a long set of polka tunes. But beforehand, we’ll have polka lessons for first timers to get the hang of it. And afterward, the Nada’s will be finishing off the evening.

Emily: The Nada’s? They’re a pretty big deal in this area, right?Bill: Yeah, it’s a huge honor to get to have them come play here. They have a ton of fans and huge following of locals, so we have no doubt that they’re going to show Main Street a good time.

Emily: Well, overall it sounds like there will be so many things happening on Main Street all day for everyone. Bill: Yes, we hope to just have a continu-ous flow of fun and involvement for the community all day. We are anxiously awaiting October 12, and can’t wait to get the festivities underway.

Sunday, September 22 10am-5pm Main Street FREE

Saturday, October 12 1-11pm Main Street


CAMPUSToWN ACTioN ASSoCiATioN

School is back in session in Ames and that means Campustown is the place to be! Campustown Action Association continues to

work hard to provide the best customer experience when you come to our dis-trict, and as part of that effort, “Make Campustown Shine” will continue through the fall. We see a lot of foot traf-fic, which often leads to an increase in litter and cigarette butts on the sidewalks and streets of Campustown. Along with our cleaning program, many businesses in our district have signed a ‘Cleanliness Pledge’ to keep the areas around their business clean. Our “Make Campustown Shine” program, presented by The Fight-ing Burrito, has been very successful this spring and summer and we thank every-one who has come out early on weekend mornings to help us!

A big thank you to 2013 MCS volun-teer groups through August:

Alpha Phi Omega Sorority and Delta Chi Fraternity

VEISHEA Service DayTheta Xi FraternityCollegiate United Methodist Church

and Wesley FoundationJacob Davis, Evan Hammer, Dalton

Peterson and Sarah CadyISU Young Alumni CouncilYoung Professionals of AmesIowa 4-H Youth ConferenceSee Yourself in Ames Workforce

Intern Program and Brian DavidsonBest Buy Staff

There are still opportunities to sign up for October and November. If you are interested in this service project volunteer opportunity, please contact Kim Hanna at [email protected] or 515-450- 8771

Working hard to make Campustown shine

SAVE THE DATE It’s Time for the Ames Chamber Annual Steak Fry: The Thrill of the Grill ·...

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Transcript of SAVE THE DATE It’s Time for the Ames Chamber Annual Steak Fry: The Thrill of the Grill ·...