Welcome, everyone, to Midday Magazine for this January 23rd, 2024.
Have your host, James J. Mailoff here.
In part two at 330 today, we're going to welcome in new executive director with the
Family Center.
Trieka Falkner going to join us.
We're looking forward to talk with her in just a little bit.
Right now, we have with us in studio our great friend, Lacey Ailing,
Vence and Engagement Director with our Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce.
Lacey, good to see you.
Good to see you, James.
Thanks for being here.
And thanks for bringing a friend.
You brought a friend that we already know here.
As you just with us.
Absolutely Steve from WRPS is here to join me today.
Steve, good to see you.
It's good to see you too, James.
Thanks again for being here.
We appreciate it.
We're going to put you on the spot.
I mean, ask you some questions in just a moment.
We'll talk with you looking forward to it.
Lacey, we usually start off talking about upcoming community events.
We got some really great stuff coming up.
What do you guys got going on?
Yes, so annual meeting and awards.
We are still looking for one silver sponsor.
That is the awards sponsor.
So your business logo will be on.
That award featured given to the ambassador of the year.
That is the one we're looking for left for that one.
And then we also have brands and gold sponsorships.
Please reach out to me.
I have all the information.
It comes with a whole bunch of stuff.
You'll be a part of for that event.
So please reach out.
Very excited.
Definitely we're getting down there.
I think we have like 40 something days left.
Stacey told me yesterday.
But yes, obviously, please reach out.
Communications at Wisconsin Rapids Chamber.com.
Please, please, please definitely get involved.
We are really excited or 76th year.
So it's something to be said about that.
Absolutely.
76 is very impressive.
We're a little older.
But yeah, it's still very important all over.
It's still cool that we are proud of our chamber,
proud of the work that they've done over those decades.
Lacey, for those that don't know what the event is,
what exactly goes on with this event?
Yes, so we are celebrating all of these local businesses
that are a part of our chamber.
So we will get together.
We will talk about upcoming things.
We're going to have a mission moment speaker.
She'll be from the Hannah Center.
So very excited to hear about the things going on.
As they open their doors in 2024,
we've been doing a lot of changes, updates,
and then with obviously kind of unveiling our SWAT analysis
at that awards as well as just some things to look forward to.
And then recognizing all the businesses in the area
that have given back.
So large investor of the year, large business of the year,
small business of the year, innovative business,
obviously ambassador of the year.
So a lot of fun businesses that have been a part of it
that are supporting our local businesses,
giving back and definitely being a great advocate
for the sponsors and for everyone involved.
I didn't hear a great, greatest local DJ.
I didn't hear that on the list.
We're working on that, James.
Cool, cool, cool.
No, very, very, more importantly,
it is an opportunity for us to give a tip of the hat
to so many in our community and be able to also,
I think, show some encouraged people.
Like, show some inspiring people.
Inspiration, I think, comes from this.
When I see other people doing good,
I don't think, okay, well, there's no good left to be done.
We're all right as a society.
No, that just encourages more and more people
to do good to do put back into their community
to invest in their community.
It's a really fun event.
Yes, and then we are, so even with our,
I know we have some large sponsorships,
but as well as wine liquor pool, the raffle prize,
donation prize.
So it can align with, I know it's beginning of the year.
You have a lot of things that are going to be asked
for this year, so definitely if you're looking
for a smaller one, we are absolutely accepting those.
You can drop them off with a chamber, reach out to me.
We can come pick them up.
We'll do whatever works best for your business
and definitely what aligns with your mission.
What day is the event?
That is Wednesday, March 6th.
So keep that in mind.
Everybody be sure to bookmark that,
even if you are not a business or something,
we can attend and be at the meet.
Well, and definitely we sent out, so we're hoping
to get our RSVP's back.
But yeah, if you were a business, definitely reach out.
We have sent out everyone, but obviously they,
they're going to come with some inserts
that you can kind of fill out telling me to you
and then as well as all their food choices for the night.
I do want to pull an audible before we get into
our next topic really quick with you, Lacey,
because I've got your newsletter today
and I just want to remind people to sign up
for the newsletter.
It's a great thing to keep up the day
and everything in your community.
Absolutely.
Please do that.
I know we have a lot of people that they,
even if you have, make sure that it's not going to spam as well
because for some reason with 2024,
it's a lot of things have been cyber, security has been kind
of beefed up a little bit, so make sure you reach out
and if you're not getting something like James Scott today,
reach out to the chamber and we can definitely make sure
that we update your information.
We're very excited about Lunch by the River coming up
this spring, not only because it makes us think
of spring and warmer times and everything,
but we love Lunch by the River.
It's one of our favorite events in this area
and I would say in the last year or two,
there has been some really fun things
hope happening with it and it's always been a great event.
It feels like you guys have just added a little more
icing to the cake of this event.
Is that kind of the case, Lacey?
I'm very excited.
So the 37th year, so we're getting up there
on some of these long standing events,
but absolutely the city has been really accommodating
and me wanting additional space.
Obviously we have all the things on the other side
of the river, but we want to kind of keep it
to where it's not that it's a huge event during the week,
but something where you can walk from one side,
you can go to the market, see everything,
get some stuff over there as well as come over,
some entertainment, some activities,
learn a little bit about the community
and then obviously food trucks, food vendors,
activities, we're trying to pair with some wonderful food
so that I can kind of cover all my bases
as well as wanting some different type things.
So I really want to bring in people.
So that's my goal is to kind of have something for everyone.
So caricatures, I want to do face painting,
I want to do some outdoor things.
I'd love to do like martial arts.
I even mentioned I wanted to have like a fire juggler,
but Stacy was like, I don't know what her insurance for that,
but I've been like trying to find things
that are going to bring people in,
maybe give them some experiences, make some memories
that they can look back on.
I'm like, oh, I remember when I took you to lunch
by the river and that's where you decided
that you wanted to do this or you wanted to be a singer.
So if you're interested, if you're a local entertainer,
if you want, if you're not local and you have roots here
and you want to spend the summer here,
on the Wisconsin River, singing,
I think that that's great.
And I definitely want to foster any of those things
happening in this area.
Please reach out.
I'm really, really excited to have this planned ahead of time
so that people can kind of book market.
I'm big on like, let's not wait.
So that's why you're hearing about it
when there's snow on the ground,
because I want this completely booked within the next two months.
So please reach out.
Don't think that like, oh, I'm kind of new to this,
but I think it's great exposure.
And I definitely want to get people.
So if you think, oh, you know, it's going to be fun
or even like, I was even thinking about a comedian,
but different things that are going to bring people
and something for everybody.
Yeah, with an event like this,
it's not only a great opportunity for us as a community
to get out on a lunch break and get some air,
get outside a little bit, maybe try a food
that you haven't tried before, see a business
that you haven't seen before.
Those are all great for our community.
On the other side of this, if you're an entertainer,
this is a wonderful opportunity to get seen by people.
Maybe you wouldn't normally see.
I've talked to a couple of people
who have done this like Jordan Bane,
and Jordan is a musician.
Most of the time, he's at bars or situations like that
when people are seeing him.
He's at that group and all the sudden,
people are seeing him and hearing him
that he haven't ever seen before.
He's been doing this a long time.
He's not the only person like that.
There's a lot of acts of ours that get seen
by different people, get heard by different people,
just by being a lunch by the river.
And that goes the same for businesses.
We got a lot of great businesses in this area.
Nothing but great local businesses in this area.
But you and I talk about this a lot, Lacey.
As well as it is our community is,
there happens all the time.
Oh, I didn't know they were in town.
Oh, I didn't know about this place.
This is an opportunity for that not to happen
to your business.
You show up at lunch by the river.
Everybody shows up at lunch by the river.
And you may not be able to go to every single one,
but you're at one, you're at two.
If you're a business and you're there every week,
you're getting seen every week.
Absolutely, and we're also planning for Gather
by the gazebo, so that's in Rome.
That's once a month.
So obviously lunch by the river, we're every Thursday.
We start on the last May because we obviously
one of them is the fourth of July.
So we're not gonna try to steal that date.
So we're gonna go from the last date and May
and then until the last date in August.
And obviously I'm looking to fill every one of those spots
with activities, with vendors, with entertainers,
with sponsors.
So if that's something that you wanna get out,
obviously even with sponsors, you get a large space
to be able to talk, even if you don't want to talk,
I can talk about it on Facebook Live.
And 2024 is gonna be a big mission of mine
to make sure that we are on the social media,
that we are sharing these things.
I've taken a lot of great videos.
I've heard, there were some people that were at Raniwu
and his voice was so great.
And it was really hard because the wind was there
and it was hard to record it.
And there's just something about live music
that I feel like it brings people together.
The kids can run around and play
and you can have some of the food that we have here.
And I'm really, really excited to just,
I think it's such a memory to make during the summer.
The kids are off, get out of the house,
go do something, it's free.
You don't have to buy anything and there's no charge.
You can go, you can go sit down there.
You could bring a picnic lunch.
I think that there's a lot of opportunities
and you don't feel like, oh, well, I can't do that.
That doesn't work for me.
And it's obviously in different locations.
We're in Acusa, we're in Rome,
and obviously entertainers, sponsors, food vendors for all.
It's such a fun event.
We're looking so forward to it.
You and I have this in common about planning.
Let's help Lacey plan this ahead.
Get this all hammered out and everything for spring.
And Lacey, I appreciate the initiative,
the imagination that you've taken to this
and so much of what you've done in this position
since you've been there.
I wanna help, I'm gonna learn to juggle fire.
I'm gonna learn, I'm gonna learn.
I got some time here before spring.
I'm sure I'll be able to get it down by that.
I think you could probably do comedians,
stuff too, or DJ.
I think you could, yeah, I think you're Jack
and many trades, I think you could.
We are definitely looking forward to being down there
as a sponsor this year.
We're very excited about that.
We'll meet you down there coming up
and lunch by the river coming up this spring.
We have, of course, Steve with us,
with Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools.
And we're gonna talk a little bit
about the Tina leadership
and the community leadership programs now, right?
Yes, absolutely, very, very excited.
Laura is who you're gonna one reach out to
if you are interested.
We're in, you know, kind of halfway through
our community leadership and teen leadership in our area.
But if you are interested,
she is already looking for next year.
So that's 715-422-4860,
or Workforce at WisconsinJapidsChamber.com.
Please reach out to her.
She is very excited.
She's just as passionate as I am
about making some changes, updating things,
staying relevant, staying current
with the things happening in our area.
This program has been doing a lot of good for a long time.
Just like lunch by the river,
it's one of those things where it never hurts
to dust things off and to see what we can improve on,
what we can tinker with.
And that's a much changing event, but evolve an event.
I think that's something that we're seeing a lot
in society nowadays with a lot of different things.
We here at WFHR have gone through that
over the last couple of years of evolving.
Not so much changing, but kind of evolving
and going that route.
So anytime we can help with that,
we want to be able to chime in and help with it.
And also, of course, attend these events.
They're important.
And they do such good in the community.
Steve, when we first met,
we've only talked a couple of times.
But for me, this is always interesting to me
when Lacey or anybody brings in somebody
from the leadership organization.
And I'm like, well, that's a leader right there.
I already know he's a leader.
I can see it.
I can hear it in his voice.
I know.
So then to see you take this class,
that's a leadership move.
That's like what leaders do is taking these classes
as taking classes to be even better at a leading or that.
Steve, what are some of the things
you've taken from the community leadership program?
Well, first off, James, I just want to say,
like I can't say enough about the program.
It has been just a phenomenal, like you said,
as a challenge as a leader, right?
If we as leaders aren't growing and changing
and learning new concepts and learning new skills,
then we as individuals become stagnant.
And this program has really been great for me personally
to challenge my leadership, to continue to grow as a leader,
and to learn more about the community
with which I'm a part of, has just been phenomenal.
And this last month, I'm probably getting ahead
of myself a little bit, but this last month,
we spent a lot of time over at Midstate Technical College.
And as an employee of the school district,
I probably know more than maybe some of your listeners
who don't have a lot of contacts with Midstate,
just because that's part of my profession.
I'm constantly pushing students and their families
and showing them opportunities
of what they could have and the things they could reach.
But even with my background, in my understanding
of Midstate, part of this leadership program
showed me so much more of what Midstate can mean,
not just for the students that I see in the hallways and WRPS,
but for the households, for the families,
for the people who are just looking to learn new things
or do something with their friend group
and just get out and just have a great time
and enjoy our community.
There, we've spent the last 10 minutes
or so talking about lunch by the river.
Like our community has so much to offer its residents.
And those are just some things that,
as I continue to learn about them and grow,
that I'm so excited to continue to be a part of in this community.
You mentioned Midstate, what are some other things
that you have done as part of the leadership class?
So we actually, as Midstate being there,
we got to go over to the Riverview Hospital
and see their simulation center with their nursing program.
So James, I don't know if you and your listeners know this,
but Midstate is the fastest growing technical college
in our state.
And that's a gem that's sitting right here
in our community tucked away there.
And so this simulation center over at the hospital
is just a phenomenal training piece
where they have these incredible mannequins
that can breathe, they can blink, they can speak,
they can go into medical crisis.
And then you have, as the trainee,
have to fix that crisis and then get them stabilized.
And then they go right back to that homeostasis,
if you will.
And then you continue to communicate with them.
I mean, the ability for Midstate
to train the next generation of professionals
is just outstanding.
Understanding what they're doing over there
seems like you can only enhance and help you
with what you're doing in Rapid's Public Schools.
Absolutely, the more that we can continue to work together.
And I think last time I was on your show,
we talked about the dual credit opportunities.
And a student in our community has the ability
to walk into Midstate with college credits in their pocket.
And with the Direct Admit program,
not even having to go through the stress
and the concern of, will I be accepted, will I not?
If you graduate from Lincoln High School,
you're accepted to Midstate.
And if that means you're going to go there
for as a full-time student, wonderful goal
is a full-time student.
If that means you have to work and just take one class,
wonderful work and just take one class.
And it's not just for high school students.
Midstate offers a lot of career certifications
as well and professional development.
If any of your listeners, if their business has a need
for professional development within their organization,
Midstate has programs for that.
And they have micro-credigling that they can go through
to help support that business
to be able to get some of those things done.
Because they don't care solely about the student,
what we would think of in the traditional standpoint.
But they care about our entire community at large.
So that's workforce development.
That's finding the needs of our community.
Midstate is just partnering with some
of our dental professions up in Marshfield.
And they're opening a dental assisting program
that they hope to grow even larger.
Because we have such a need in that industry
in our community to find well-qualified professionals.
And so it's not just about your traditional student
that you would think of that's coming out of high school
and going on, but it's really community development
as well.
And that community that Midstate,
Midstate's been able to do all these things.
And being one of the biggest growing in our tech school
in our state, because they listened to the community,
because they are paying attention.
And they see a need, okay, we're going to address that
and going forward.
They also are huge believers over there
in education is fun, education is life,
learning is fun, learning is life.
It's great if you want to go there to an degree
or to add to a degree to go to a university
or any of these things.
But also, if you just want to learn,
like you just want to take a class,
they've got them over there for you.
Yeah, I don't know if they have fire juggling
over there.
Yeah, I'm going to check out.
We'll have to look.
I got some friends over there.
Maybe we can reach out, yeah, we can start something.
But you know, they do, if you want to get together
with a group of your friends and learn how to do something
better in the kitchen or learn a new craft
and maybe spend some pottery, whatever the case may be,
even if you're just looking for maybe a couple fun weekends
to do something where you can challenge yourself
to just do something new and fun.
Mid-State can really help you.
And I mean, they have a lot of options there.
Oh, one of the things that I enjoy about,
not only when I was young and falling in love with acting,
was the idea that, well, this is something I can never
perfect, like I'm going to spend the rest of my life
working to be the greatest at this.
And I can always get better.
I think that as I got older, I realized, oh, that's life.
That's just life in general, like everything in life.
We're always striving to get better and hoping to.
And I think that that's one of the fun things about life,
just like with learning and taking this all the way back
to Mid-State, you can carry that at Mid-State.
You can carry that on over at Mid-State,
continuing your education or adding to your degree
or any of these things.
Absolutely, absolutely.
MSTC.edu, I even know the website by heart.
Be sure to check it out, everybody.
A big shout out to our friends over at Mid-State.
Steve, as we're talking about the Community Leadership Program,
another fun part of this program that I've heard of
for over the years is the people that you meet,
the connections that you make, that you may not always,
you may not make otherwise.
Absolutely, and I would say for me personally,
that's been instrumental and very key.
I've been in the rapids community for a very short time,
relatively speaking, it's been almost five years now.
But when you think about all the things that have happened
in our society in those five years,
we went through a pandemic in that time,
where we were all very hesitant to meet new people
at that time.
There was a lot of friction in our society.
And so even for me personally,
this has been a phenomenal opportunity
to get to know my community and to get to meet a lot of great people
that are in the community who are trying
to have a positive influence,
that it would have taken me years longer than it has now
to meet and be connected and find those truthfully friendships
that are going to carry on,
and we're going to be able to do great things through them.
Being able to strengthen your position
in what you do and the knowledge that you know
and that job, the connections that you make.
So anything else that you want to touch on
as far as the leadership program
and encouraging people to learn more
and to maybe even take it and participate in the class?
So I would encourage really anyone,
whether you've been in the community for a short time,
like myself, or you might be a long standing pillar
in our community because of all of the changes
that our community has gone through
and is continuing to go through,
there are always new opportunities out there.
And sometimes some of us as younger leaders
are just looking for those established leaders
to come alongside as a mentorship
or just to say, hey, this has been an area
or a vision of mine for a long time
that I just haven't been able to make happen
that maybe you can find that connection
to be able to really kind of push your business
over the edge and to be able to make that last thing happen.
Well said, good to have you here again, Steve
and good to talk with you again.
You as well, James, thank you.
Lacey, I know as we're wrapping up here,
we had a couple of loose fitting notes
and just some notes that we wanted to touch on
with the chamber.
So I know we touched on the investor of the month.
Obviously, if you are interested in becoming
a member of the chamber, please reach out.
Please come in where they are Monday through Friday,
eight to four.
Stacy, anyone really can go over the membership things
things that you get from being there.
So don't feel like, oh, I need to go there
when a specific person's there.
We can all handle membership
and we'd be happy to come in.
If you want us to come to your business,
if you want, we can kind of figure something out
to make it work, especially there's a lot of small businesses
that are just starting and they don't have a space.
They don't, you know, they're still in their home.
So please let us know we can come in.
I have a gigantic office.
I'd be more than happy to have you come in there.
Let me know and I definitely want us to be,
you know, we can advocate better for our members
if we understand them.
So making sure that we're on the same page,
we understand your why, we understand what we need to do.
I see another community leadership
that's been walking by.
But yeah, obviously very, very excited.
We also have essential Wisconsin days.
So please join us that is going to be Tuesday, February 13th,
eight to four at the best Western Premier Park Hotel.
So we're gonna meet, we're gonna go over there.
They're gonna talk to a lot of like our local people
talking about, you know, state policy makers,
things like that, Stacey's to glue the pioneer
behind those kind of things as well as our bot program.
So business outreach, please reach out if you are a member
and want us to come in your, come in your business.
Let us know if you want to come to us.
We can make anything work as well as having a better
understanding for you and getting you those referrals
that you need.
Always appreciate the time, Lacey,
good to hang out with you, good to talk with you.
I'm gonna go learn fire juggling
and then we'll meet again soon, okay?
Sounds good.
We'll see you next month.
Find out more at wisconsinrabbitschamber.com
Wisconsinrabbitschamber.com.
Be sure to follow the wisconsinrabbitschamber.com
on social media as well.
That's a great way to keep up the day
and all the good things going on in your community.
We'll come back with more Midday magazine right here
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