We've decided to change things up a bit with the prize drawings this year.  The Chamber will be donating the Grand Prize of an Apple Ipad and we're asking businesses if they would like to participate as well.

   Gift baskets and Gift Certificates are appreciated, or you have the option of sponsoring a turkey or ham this year.  Sponsorships for those are $12, and we will take care of purchasing the items from Moon's and getting the gift certificates, complete with the Sponsor's name, to the Auditorium that day.  

   Residents and Visitors will have all day to sign up in participating businesses, for free.  The bags will be collected and all the names will be put into a hopper at the City Auditorium around 4:00pm.

   Drawings for Prizes will begin immediately following the taste testing and judging of the Mayor's Chocolate Cake Contest and other Baking Contest awards. 

  You must be present to win!  Your business (or name) will be announced, along with your donation.
  We will encourage the crowd to show their appreciation for these prizes by supporting their local businesses (You), by thinking and shopping local! 

  Please call the Chamber if you would like to donate something.  We'd like to have our prize list complete by November 10th.

 This year's Christmas Festival will be held Saturday, November 19th.  There are many activities planned for the day and it should be a whole lot of festive fun!

• Breakfast with Santa is from 8-10am at the Presbyterian Church.  After Prom is organizing this fundraiser and there will be a minimal charge. 
• The Arts and Crafts Fair in the City Auditorium will be 10am - 4pm.  Santa will arrive at 10am, via the Chamber Sleigh and will be  available for pictures
  throughout the day.  Maceks Photography will be the photographer. Free sleigh rides begin at 10am. 
• There will be live entertainment on stage throughout the day. Paola School of Dance, Citizen of the Year- Wayne Harclerode and his band, and the Band of Oz are set to perform.
• You can enter your best Holiday Desserts in the Mayor's Chocolate Cake Contest, or Holiday Treat Category.  There's even a division for children- the Kid's Cookie category. ALL entries need to be to the auditorium by noon that day. Mayor Dudley and two guest judges will begin the taste testing at 4pm. There will be a People's Choice Award based on appearance only with a prize of $25.  The Adult Categories have a first place prize of $100 ($50 cash, $50 Chamber Bucks) and a 2nd prize of $50 ($25 cash, $25 Chamber Bucks).  The Kids Category has a 1st place prize of $25 and 2nd place $10.
•  The Church of the Nazarene will be set up in the concession stand, selling food, drinks, and snacks.
• Many Main Street Retailers will be open, and there will be a flyer of special sales and discounts available at the Auditorium and in the stores themselves that day!While shopping, you can sign up for the free drawings that will take place that afternoon.
• A "Mistletoe Market" complete with MORE vendors will be set up in the Gathering Place from 10am - 1pm.
• The Prize Drawings will happen after 4pm, immediately following the Baking Contest Awards. Donations of Turkeys, Hams, Gift Certificates, and more will be given away.  The Grand Prize this year is an Apple Ipad, donated by the Chamber. You must be present to win these drawings! 

    Booths for the Arts and Crafts Fair should be reserved by November 12th.  They are $10 or $15 with electricity.

 The Chamber's Annual Dinner was held on Thursday, October 20th, in the Osawatomie High School Cafeteria. Ninety five people attended and had the pleasure of hearing Lynn Dickey speak about his Football days.

  The Trivia game was well received. Thank you to all that submitted questions. Tables became teams as they collaborated and discussed answers.  The winning team of Grady and Cinda Atwater, DJ and Lori Needham, and Barbara Zuel all recieved $10 in Chamber Bucks.  They beat out their competition by answering 39 of the 67 questions, correctly. It was fun, and hopefully everyone learned something about our community that they had not known before.

  Moon's catered the delicious meal and the Sub Debs helped with the serving.  The election was held and the Citizen of the Year Award was presented.

  We'd like to thank all that attended, along with everyone that had a part in the evening's success.  Mark Govea, Lynn Dickey, First Option Bank, Great Southern Bank, USD #367, Life Care Center of Osawatomie, Hanes Florist, Moon's Hometown Market, the Sub Debs, the UPS Store, and Johnson's Creative Concepts.

    Each year, the Chamber accepts nominees and selects an individual to award the honor of Citizen of the Year.  This year's award winner is Wayne Harclerode.

    Wayne has spent his life loving music.  What began as playing the steel guitar with his family's band grew into a lifelong hobby. He plays regularly for the Senior Center and nursing homes.  You will have the chance to hear him play at the Christmas Festival as well.  He and his band will take the stage from 11:00am - 12:30pm on November 19th. 

  This lifelong Miami County resident is also an avid pilot. He does flyovers for memorials and funerals, and has lead Memorial Day Flyovers in our area, along with other events, when his schedule allows. 

    He is a member of the United Methodist Church, the Elks, MCAA, EAA and International Commanche Society, is the Airport Mannager and Miami County Airport Association Treasurer. 

    Wayne is a Navy Veteran, serving from 1957-1960 on the USS Ashtabula.  He is the current treasurer of the USS Ashtubula and will host their reunion in 2012.

     As this year's recipient, he received a framed certificate, one year Free membership to the Chamber, and his name has been engraved on the Volunteer Plaque that hangs in Memorial Hall. 

     We are proud to have named him Citizen of the Year.