Live...

• Housing
• Other Interests
  

  SHORTCUTS Education Libraries Health Care Churches Newspapers

Work...

• Data and Research
  

  SHORTCUTS Utilities Telecomms Labor Location/ Transportation

• Available Buildings and Sites
• Business Incentives

Play...

• Recreation
  

  SHORTCUTS Lake YMCA Parks Golf Museums & Galleries Special Events

  
  
• The Inc. Informer
• Contact Us

COME GROW WITH US!

NEWS AND UPDATES
El Dorado, Kansas

The Inc. Informer Online
A monthly business update to members of El Dorado Inc.
"Linking You to More Information"

El Dorado, Kansas
April 2008

Check back often for
"Breaking News"

GO STRAIGHT TO INSIDER EDITION

The purpose of El Dorado Inc. is to further the economic development of the El Dorado area and its environs. The primary objectives of El Dorado Inc. shall be to benefit the community as measured by increased employment, payroll, business volume, housing starts and similar factors.

For El Dorado Inc. membership information, contact:
Linda Jolly at 321-3150 or lkjolly@eldorado-inc.com

Walters Flowers, Butler County History Center go above and beyond to welcome Eco-Devo Conference attendees
On April 9th a group of 40 to 45 Economic Development professionals gathered at Walters Flowers in El Dorado to begin a networking pre-conference event, which was the kick off for the 20th Annual Kansas Economic Development Conference, held in El Dorado on April 10th. The event was entitled “Taste of the Town”, and Harold and the staff of Walters Flowers turned the entire store into an elegant dining venue. Local fare was served including pumpkin chili, pumpkin salsa, and pumpkin butter from Walters’ Pumpkin Patch, Carrnen’s Chicken Salad from Jacob’s Well, gourmet food items from Walters Flowers, summer sausage from Walnut Valley Packing, and wine selections from Beyond Napa Private Cellars.

The group then traveled to the Butler County History Center for dessert, which was coffee from Scooters Coffeehouse and homemade cookies from Jacob’s Well. Visitors enjoyed the traveling exhibit “Asian Games” and the museum’s permanent Flint Hills and oil history exhibits. Group members took the opportunity to network while enjoying the evening. The networking event was sponsored by El Dorado Inc. and the El Dorado Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The conference resumed the next day at the El Dorado Civic Center with approximately 100 in attendance. The conference was sponsored in part by Butler County Economic Development.

Editor’s note: El Dorado Inc. staff owes a great big thank you to staff members of Walters and the History Center. They all went above and beyond to make El Dorado look fantastic! All in attendance were duly impressed, and I think a little bit jealous!

Annual Strong Kids Golf Tournament planned for May 17
It’s time to swing for Strong Kids once again! The eighth annual Strong Kids Golf tournament will be held on Saturday, May 17th at Prairie Trails Golf and Country Club. Tee time is at 8:30 a.m. Four-person teams should pony up $220, which includes cart, green fees and lunch (sponsored by Cox Communications). Hole sponsorships are available for just $100. Proceeds benefit the YMCA’s annual Strong Kids Campaign which serves over 3,000 people through scholarship assistance and outreach programs.

For more information contact Adam Kahrl at 320-9622.

Direct mail, shredding service ready to assist your business
Flinthills Services has put into place a direct mail service and shredding service which employs their clients. They have the capability of shredding up to 1000 pounds of documents per hour, and provides documentation when the job is finished. The direct mail service includes collating, folding, stapling, labeling, applying postage and delivery to the Post Office. In addition, they offer small hand packaging and assembling services.  For more information, contact Dana Korkki at 321-2325 or Curtis Roby at 321-6553.

Receptions set for retiring educators
•Grandview will host a retirement reception for Debbie Hall on Wednesday, May 14, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in the school gym.
•Jefferson Elementary will host a retirement reception on Wednesday, May 14, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. for Sherry Keller, Debbie Melcher and Sharon Pooler. The reception will be held in the school gym.
•El Dorado High School plans a retirement reception for Dorothy Beer, Chris Knott and Gary Melcher on Friday, May 2, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. The reception will be held in the high school gym. Please use the Recreation Center entrance and follow the signs.

Mulally delivers at ButlerCC lecture series
Alan Mulally, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company, spoke at Butler Community College on March 25th as  part of the Harold Smith Cultural Lecture Series. Mullaly was entertaining, dynamic and upbeat as he answered questions from the audience for nearly two hours. He covered topics ranging from his company’s plan to build market share for the Ford automobile, to the building of the Boeing 777 when he was the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, to the impact of alternative fuel on the auto industry. He was accompanied by his wife, Nicki Connell Mulally and two of his five children, along with several members of his extended family. The evening was indeed a special opportunity for the people of Butler County!

Every Day is Earth Day at USD 490 (from USD 490 E-News)
Earth Day (this year on April 22) has been a driving force in raising environmental awareness around the globe and in the United States. For the past 28 months, USD 490 has been implementing a rigorous energy savings program with the help of a company, Energy Education, Inc., that specializes in people-driven energy conservation. Through the partnership with Energy Education, USD 490 has significantly reduced the amount of energy the schools uses.

Since the district began, electric consumption has declined by 8,097 MMBTU and natural gas use by 20,760 MMBTU. The district's conservation program has led to a 24% reduction in overall energy consumption. By reducing consumption, the district has helped preserve the local environment. The less electricity used the less electricity that has to be generated, thereby reducing pollution from generation plants. According to the EPA, this decrease in energy use from electricity alone is the equivalent of taking 1,183 cars off our local roads or planting 2,453 acres of trees in our community.

Since the conservation program began, USD 490 has experienced a calculated cost avoidance of $344,871 as identified by Energy Education, Inc. The savings has helped the district to allocate resources to instruction rather than utilities.
—Information submitted by Steve Fellers, Energy Coordinator

(Note: Energy Education, Inc. works only with schools, community colleges and churches. To find out how your business can become more energy efficient visit www.energystar.gov, and take the Energy Star Challenge, a national call-to-action to improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more. It may save you money and help the planet at the same time!)

Shorts

• Galen Myers, President and CEO of BG Products, will be the featured speaker at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on May 1st at 7 a.m. at the Community Building (4-H). He will share his story of the impact of following Christ in his life and in business. Tickets are available at the El Dorado Chamber by calling 321-3150 for $6. Breakfast will be catered by Jacob’s Well.
• The All-Kansas Air Tour touched down in El Dorado on April 7th as part of the historic barnstorming tour. Unfortunately the weather prohibited many of the planes from taking part that day. The El Dorado Airport management, City staff, and CVB did a fine job in planning a welcome dinner for those who braved the elements.
• Nearly 90 celebrity hunters were in town from across the country at the Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt on April 11-13. The El Dorado CVB hosted the Saturday lunch again, providing information about El Dorado and various outdoor activities. Two of Tom Kinder’s mounted turkeys generated interest at the CVB table.
• Look for a new Burger King, now being built in front of Walmart.

  ---

CVB Corner
The activities of the Convention and Visitors Bureau are funded by the City of El Dorado

Frontier Western Celebration brings visitors, dollars to El Dorado
Anticipating even larger crowds than last year, the Frontier Western Celebration in El Dorado on June 13-15, will feature up-and-coming country performers, Jerrod Niemann and Rissi Palmer on Friday night, heritage activities on Saturday, a Dutch Oven Cook-Off, the NABA Extreme Bull Blowout and the BIG Dance on Saturday night, On Sunday morning, Cowboy Church in the arena, a trail ride and a second go round for the Extreme Bull Blowout.  The World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales will return for the whole weekend of the Celebration, an attraction that drew large numbers from all ages last year.

Frontier Western Celebration is an El Dorado Main Street Production, and with the exception of the trail ride, which will take place at El Dorado Lake & State Park, all the events will be held in downtown El Dorado. With an overflowing crowd last year, an expanded arena and additional, taller bleachers will accommodate larger crowds this year at the bull ride, due to generous support from Frontier Refining.

A $4 button is the admission for all events except the Extreme Bull Blowout, which will be $10 per performance.  Admission for children 5-12 years old will be $5 and children under 5 are admitted free. Advance tickets and buttons sales will be available at local merchants, the Main Street Office, 430 N. Main and the Chamber, 201 E. Central, after May 15.

Major sponsors of this event are Frontier Refining, Chicago Bridge and Iron, and Cust-O-Fab.

Insider Edition

From the Convention & Visitors Bureau, El Dorado, KS
All activities of the CVB are funded by the City of El Dorado through bed tax.

Your “Informer”