Grow Ellsworth County hosted its first annual meeting on March 22.

At the beginning of 2023, GEC Director Stacie Schmidt said Ellsworth County Economic Development absorbed the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce and ECED was re-branded Grow Ellsworth County.

“The chamber of commerce was founded in 1942. For 80 years they have been a part of this community,” she said. “It is a hard transition to make.

“I told you last year my goal was to grow my team, to add a staff member.”

A year later, Kayla Timms joined the staff as assistant director.

“This is our first unified effort as our community adapts to changing environments,” GEC President Justin Lindsley said. “The Chamber and Economic Development merged at the beginning of this year. The transition has gone well and we want to thank you for all of for your support.”

More than 100 gathered for the meeting.

Guest speaker Dr. Tim Steffensmeier from Kansas State University discussed the importance of collaboration for rural communities. He also works in conjunction with the Kansas Leadership Center.

“We look at how are we going to move forward for things we don’t have a map for,” Steffensmeier said. “Don’t wait until somebody has the authority or position to be part of your community. I think that’s a little bit of a mindset.”

The evening was part speech, part interaction.

Steffensmeiser invited the tables to share concerns that affect the county. Attendees pointed to housing, school closure, crime, population decline, scarcity mentality and communities being siloed.

Steffensmeier invited those present to think of opportunities to collaborate and problem- solve. “I would guess people work pretty hard; you know how to get things done. I bet people have good ideas,” he said.

“There is a fear of failure. If you’re going to try something new, work beyond your job or what people said you could do — that is exercising leadership.”

Steffensmeier said in small communities, it can feel like standing in a gap.

“There’s no expert to call.

How can we get more people who figure out it’s their role to exercise leadership,” he asked.

“I’m in the gap and live in this community. I’m part of the problem — I’m implicated by that because I’m doing or not doing something that led to the problem.

“Try something to make something like this organization that came out of both an opportunity and a constraint.

I’m talking about exercising leadership rather than a role or waiting for somebody to tell you it’s your job.”

With a network of extension offices across Kansas, Steffensmeier said K-State is positioned to assist communities with growth.

“If you have a big aspiration and you think any higher ed institutions could help, look me up. Ask if there’s a way to have a deeper partnership,” he said.

The evening also included awards to recognize businesses or entities in the county for contributions to growth.

Three awards were awarded: Growth, Collaboration and Innovation awards.

Feeding the Children of Central Kansas based in Wilson garnered the Growth Award. The program served more than 23,000 meals in summer 2022.

“Recognizing the need to grow, create storage space and house better facilities, they are currently renovating the historic bank building in downtown Wilson where they also want to provide additional educational resources and Czech heritage activities for the community,” Schmidt said. “Feeding the Children found their YOU in Unity by identifying a community challenge and having the strength, fortitude and sheer determination to solve it.

Belinda “Lynn” Kasper accepted the award on behalf of the group.

“The one thing we know is happening because of summer meals, teachers tell us in August because kids have stayed connected and eaten during the summer, they are ready to go back to school,” she said.

BecauseWeCare Ellsworth County received the Collaboration Award.

“The current Ellsworth County mental health coalition known as BecauseWeCare was born out of the necessity for better cross-communication during the pandemic,” Schmidt said. “BecauseWeCare’s efforts have created many successes in the community and garnered attention of other communities in what it looks like to bring likeminded people together to exercise leadership and action.”

Jessica Kootz, family and consumer sciences agent for K-State Midway District’s extension office, said the work is collaborative across many partners.

“It’s not just a bunch of adults; we are reaching youth,” she said. “We want to get all aspects and stages of life connected with the work we’re doing.”

Ellsworth Correctional Facility was recognized with the Innovation Award.

“ECF launched a systemic change in recruitment, creating an immediate turnkey approach to accessing interested employees and ditching the old system of apply, wait, interview, wait, wait some more and then wait again,” Schmidt said. “They paired this approach with a new brand, new and fresh marketing and a people-first retention approach.”

Warden Don Langford said a year ago, the facility had 60 uniformed officer openings. Today, that number is 37.

“We have to take care of our employees. One thing was retention — why are people leaving? Let’s talk about it,” he said.