July 2020 Newsletter Lander Chamber of Commerce

2020

JULY

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INTRODUCTION

From the Executive Director

O

f Independence Day in July 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, that it would be

...the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

While we will have illuminations aplenty here in Lander, we will not have our beloved Pioneer Days Pageant of the Old West 4th of July Parade and Rodeo, and this provides us with the opportunity to consider, perhaps more thoughtfully than ever before, why it is we take time off every summer to celebrate Independence Day. One of the most searing images I remember of the 1992 L.A. Riots was that of a man in tears walking down the street, helplessly pleading with rioters who destroyed his business.

(You can watch it on YouTube.) “That’s not right! That’s my business! Why did you destroy it? I came from the ghetto, too; same as all of you did! I tried to make it! Don’t you understand?!”

This summer we are witnessing a wave of riots “from one end of the continent to the other.” Most of our country’s political leadership is content either to support the mob, believing America to be corrupt at its core, or to ignore it, allowing property, businesses -- livelihoods -- to be destroyed in a cynical bid to score political points with its voters.

Part of what we celebrate on Independence Day is that we are blessed by God with the opportunity, like that man in L.A., to try to make it. (Indeed, a chamber of commerce exists so that we can come together to help each other try to make it.) At one time, all Americans understood this; we were a common people with a common love of country. No more.

Ask yourself this 4th of July, are we all celebrating the same thing?

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Michelle Mazur, President Elevate Rehab

Jonathan Tonkowich, Vice Pres.

Wyoming Catholic College

Eric Andrews, Treasurer Fagnant, Lewis & Brinda P.C.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ann Espinosa Home Source Realty Inc. Inter Mountain Builders

Dave Fehringer WH Smith & Associates, Inc.

Suzanne Norris Wyoming Life Resource Center

Rick Bestul NAPA Auto Parts

James Whiting Whiting Law PC

Joanne Slingerland Central Wyoming College

Mika Baker, Past President Central Bank & Trust

PROFESSIONAL STAFF Owen Sweeney Executive Director

Carol King Associate Director

Kelsey Ball

Owen Sweeney Executive Director Lander Chamber of Commerce

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Events & Programs

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If you want to get things done on a political level, sometimes voting isn’t enough.

You have to make your case directly to the people at or near the top. But what’s the best way to do that? Most people who want to reach out to their elected representatives come up short for anything beyond writing the occasional letter to their congressional representative or senator, and many of them are at a loss for how to do even that. Getting your point across to powerful people is one of the ways we can boost our civic power, so it’s definitely a skill worth learning. Here are some approaches that tend to work.

Going Through Official Channels There’s a reason everybody who represents you, from the city council to the President of the United States, has a publicly available email address; it’s perhaps the easiest way to reach them with your concerns. While the President probably has staff read his email for him, city and county officials can often be directly reached via email. If you’re able to compose a persuasive letter putting your concerns across, you might be in contact with the right person just minutes after hitting send.

Many officials also have some kind of contact form for the public on their government website. These can save a lot of effort, since they usually provide you with a standardized template for getting your point across, rather than making you come up with something completely novel for your email.

Less-Formal Approaches If you’ve tried going through channels

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and you’re still waiting for results, or if you’re concerned your communication will get lost in the shuffle if you leave it at that, you might consider taking a less-formal approach to making your point with an elected official.

One way is to personally lobby for an issue. Many civically engaged citizens take the time to visit city council and county board of supervisors’ meetings, where they can be added to the meeting schedule and get some allotment of time to speak on an issue. Failing that, you can often schedule a personal meeting with your representative in their office for a meeting that could run anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour.

This usually works well, if you can get a slice of their time, since face-to-face conversations can go a long way toward convincing your rep of your conviction and the importance of your issue. You might also consider joining a civic organization, such as your friendly local chamber of commerce, which has the ability to schedule events your representatives might attend.

MAKE YOUR POINT

How to make your point with elected officials

Make Your Point With Elected Officials However you go about contacting your elected representatives, remember that they meet all sorts of people, and you’re far more likely to get what you want if you’re polite, reasonable and can make a logical case. Before your meeting, or before you send your email, try going over what you want to say with a skeptical eye. Address any weaknesses in your argument before bringing it to your elected official; it’s bound to make your argument much stronger and more persuasive.

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NEW MEMBERS

BUSINESS AFTER Welcome, New Chamber Members!

Lander Labs, LLC Lander Labs is a clinical diagnostic laboratory that will be providing multiple services including COVID-19 tests, respiratory pathogen testing, gastrointestinal testing, blood chemistry testing, and more!

At Lander Labs, we believe that we are stronger together. We know that quality laboratory services lead to quality health care. Our vision is to set the standard in laboratory medicine to promote patient-centered health care.

Our values include evidence-based

learning, leadership, inclusiveness, and safety.

Lander Labs was co-founded by Lander local, Annie Cook, after the COVID-19 global pandemic made her eager to cultivate a laboratory that would effectively intersect her expertise with her respective interests. Annie’s academic career has led to three diplomas including a master’s degree in DNA and Serology with accolades including Cum Laude honorary graduate and status within the top 10% of her class.

Contact Lander Labs at (307) 206-1405 or email annie.cook@landerlabs.org

Academy of the Winds Academy of the Winds was founded in January 2019 by Jenny Schucker and Cambrya Tafelmeyer. However, this school was years in the making.

Jenny had spent 10 years in public education and Cambrya 5. Jenny had always wanted to start a private school and after having her daughter the passion for that ignited even more. During her 3 years at home with her daughter she pursued her Montessori Certification to complement her already earned Bachelor in Elementary Education and National Board Certification.

During the planning stages, a gentleman in the community stepped forward and pur-

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chased AOW a 7.5 acre piece of land at 780 Von Bieker and then funded the construction of the new building. This was then donated to Academy of the Winds in October of 2019.

AOW is now in full swing offering a handson, holistic education to Toddlers through Elementary grade levels. With future growth AOW will offer education through the Middle school. Contact the school at (307) 241-5775 or email info@academyofthewinds.org.

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EVERY MONDAY Book sale at the Book Nook, 4-7 pm, Carnegie Room, Lander Library EVERY WEDNESDAY Native American Eagle Spirit Dancers, 7-8:30 pm, Museum of the American West

1-11 Wild Silence art show Tu-Th 10-6, Fri-Sa 10-4, Lander Art Center

11 Midvale Irrigation District Adventure Trek 9am-3pm, Riverton Museum

3 First Friday all day, Belles & Beaus

18 Bates Battlefield Adventure Trek 8am-4pm, Riverton Museum

3 First Friday: Art & Live Music 5-9 pm, The Middle Fork

18 Historic Lander Residence Bus Tour 10amnoon, Lander Pioneer Museum

EVERY THURSDAY Kids Nature Hike, 5:30 pm, Sinks Canyon Visitor Center parking lot

3 Wild Silence Art Show Reception 6-8 pm, Lander Art Center

EVERY SATURDAY Lander Valley Farmers Market, 9-11:30 am, Lander City Park

4 July 4th Fireworks 1011:30 pm, skies above Lander 25-Aug 1 107th Fremont County Fair check website 7 Annual Mystery Sheep for events, locations and Trap Trek 9am-3 pm, Dubois times, Fremont County Museum Fairgrounds, Riverton

Book sale at the Book Nook, 4-7 pm, Carnegie Room, Lander Library THIRD THURSDAY Caregiver Support Group: Soup & Support 11-12:30, Frontier Home Health & Hospice

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CALENDAR

July Calendar of Events

18-31 Earth & Fire Art Show Tu-Th 10-6, Fi-Sa 10-4, Lander Art Center

9 Learning about American Prisoner of War Camps Across America 7-8:30pm, Dubois Museum

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BIZ TRENDS

How COVID19 affects business trends

by Mike Lambert, MRC Program Manager The recent COVID-19 pandemic and resulting public health orders have closed or limited operations for small businesses throughout the state, creating uncertainty among both consumers and business owners. As the country begins to reopen, business owners are rethinking their operations and looking for examples of how they can operate in this uncharted business environment.

As the manager of the Wyoming SBDC Network’s Market Research Center, one of my jobs is to keep an eye on business trends impacting businesses in Wyoming. The list below are my bets for trends that will help you, your business, and our state adapt to a reopened economy. #1 – Remote Workers Remote work, especially for office workers is fast becoming common place. Remote workers don’t generally work 100% of the time from home or a remote location but allowing workers to work remotely two or three days a week gives both the worker and the business added flexibility. Younger workers find this type of flexibility important and studies show that remote workers put in a full day’s work or more. It also helps small businesses, who can’t always afford to hire a full-time person for a special project but by hiring a temporary person can fill an immediate need. #2 – The Gig Economy In addition to working remotely, about a third of workers (and especially younger workers) are involved in the gig economy. Many workers have a “side hustle” or secondary job. Many entrepreneurs start their businesses this way, but estimates indicate that it is not just business owners as 36% of workers are in the gig economy. With Wyoming’s independent mindset, it is likely that more of our workers will like the flexibility of the gig economy. #3 – Employee Happiness Businesses are increasingly focusing on employee happiness. Keeping your best workers is no longer simply reliant on competitive wages, so companies are focusing on boosting morale and engagement while retaining top performers. #4 – E-Commerce is Dominating E-Commerce is expected to reach around $5 trillion in the next few years. Many retailers are moving from brick and mortar storefronts to online stores. If you aren’t online, how confident are you that your physical store will be able to continue to succeed?

Other trends that Wyoming businesses need to consider are the growth of the “green market”, the increasing importance of online user reviews, the shift to “stories (short video content that disappears after 24 hours)”, the fact that personalized customer service is vital, and the need to address the way you need to reach younger consumers. The only thing that seems to be constant in today’s business world is that change is constant! What do you see changing with your business this year? Let us know in the comments.

Help is Available If you would like to learn more about what trends will impact Wyoming in 2020 and how you can apply this to your small business, contact your local Wyoming SBDC Network advisor for no-cost.

About the Wyoming SBDC Network: The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. In 2018 alone, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 111 new businesses, create or save 1,402 jobs and bring a capital impact of more than $10 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

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Elemental Performance + Fitness Owen Sweeney & Steve Bechtel

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Although Ty and his team saw a decreased patient load of about 85%, he was somehow able to keep his employees working, though at significantly reduced hours.

The grant selection committee was impressed at Ty’s dedication to keeping his team working. And things are beginning to improve for Wind River. Ty noted that business has started to pick up again now that hospitals are back to performing elective surgeries.

Another Lander institution, Western Printing, was awarded a grant of $2,500. Owners Don & Tracy Davison told us that they bought into Western Printing, not just as a company, but also because as a piece of Lander history. They had just saved enough last year to move to their new location on Main Street, when COVID shut down the community, and they lost almost all of their normal business.

Western Printing has seen more than half their income evaporate as most of their customers have been forced to close due to the pandemic. At the same time, with a reduced staff, they’ve been able to continue providing print products for the City of Lander, the Tribal offices, and the hospital and clinic, as well as the Chamber. Don & Tracy are a Lander success story, and the Chamber and LEDA are happy to be able to contribute to keeping the history of Western Printing going.

Funding for these Small Business Relief & Recovery Fund grants has come entirely from private sources including two local foundations, individual Landerites and fellow business owners. This is people helping people at the most local level.

All funds from the initial round have been disbursed. Should additional funds become available for additional rounds of funding, the Chamber and LEDA will announce that publicly.

For more information on the Lander Small Business Relief & Recovery Fund and how you can donate, please visit the Lander United website at landerunited.org.

Wind River Physical Therapy Ty Francis and Owen Sweeney

FUND

The Chamber and the Lander Economic Development Association (LEDA) have disbursed more than $16,000 in grants to Lander businesses suffering from the effects of COVID-19-related public health restrictions mandated by the State of Wyoming.

Elemental Performance + Fitness, Wind River Physical Therapy, Western Printing, JB’s Wild Wyoming, and The Tannery were among the businesses to receive grants from the Lander Small Business Relief & Recovery Fund. A restaurant and a specialty retailer also received grants, but they wished to remain anonymous.

The grants have provided immediate financial relief to help these business owners retain their businesses and their employees as a bridge of support between the waves of funding that have been made available by state and federal governments. Members of the Chamber and LEDA boards of directors managed the selection process for these emergency grants.

Elemental Performance + Fitness co-owner Steve Bechtel was grateful and relieved to learn that he and his wife Ellen were awarded a $4,000 grant to keep their gym going.

LEDA Board Member Mike Lilygren noted that Steve and Ellen’s impressive pivot to an online presence through the state-mandated closure and their commitment to keeping their clients safe as Elemental reopens were the major factors in their receiving an R&R Fund Grant. Mike also noted Elemental’s status as an institution in Lander, and how satisfying it was to help them.

Steve and Ellen are really taking care of their clients, and will be installing a new industrial air filtration system that will completely refresh the indoor air in the gym every hour with a 100% kill rate for the COVID-19 virus.

Right next door to Elemental, our Executive Director Owen Sweeney delivered a $2,500 R&R Fund Grant to Ty Francis, owner of Wind River Physical Therapy.

RELIEF & RECOVERY NEW MEMBER WELCOME

Chamber and LEDA Disburse Grants

Western Printing Owen Sweeney and Don & Tracy Davison

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C & C Lock & Key Raymond & Dawn Clark PO Box 631, Lander

Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union Susan Clark, branch manager 873 Main St., Lander

Clark’s Landscaping Brian Clark PO Box 1204, Lander Classic Air Medical Hangar 516, Hunt Field, Lander Edward Jones Lonnie Bull 175 S. 5th St., Lander Fairfield Tree & Lawn LLC Andrew Young 808 Welch, Lander Huff Sanitation Richard Huff 540 Wind River Ave., Lander

New York Life Insurance Company Beau Wendling 592 Main St., Suite B, Lander Owl Creek Vision Care Drs. David and Jennifer Rodgers 278 Main St., Lander Pizza Hut Joy Fink, manager 670 E. Main St., Lander

Two Sisters Bed & Breakfast Mary Dean Marshall 786 S. 3rd St., Lander Vincent Financial Services, Inc. Rob Olson 685 Main St., Suite A, Lander WHS/William H Smith & Associates 155 N 1st St., Lander Wyoming Financial Insurance Inc. Jacob McGarvin, Insurance Producer 165 S 5th St., Lander

RENEWING MEMBERS

Lander Care & Share Food Bank Audrey Krise, director 281 Garfield St., Lander

RENEWING MEMBERS

Burns Insurance Agency, Inc. Julie Connors, agent 440 Lincoln, Lander

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid LANDER, WY PERMIT NO. 78

Thanks to our annual newsletter sponsors!

Western Wyoming Medical LLC Special thanks to Western Printing for printing the monthly newsletter.

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