By Mark McCoy, Ellsworth County I-R
There’s a new face at the Ellsworth-Kanopolis Chamber of Commerce.
Angela Schepmann, of Holyrood, assumed the Executive Director position at the end of May, replacing Carol Kratzer, who retired.
Schepmann jumped into the job with both feet running, as the annual Star-Spangled Spectacular was less than a month away when she took over the directorship.
“It was real exciting getting to know the event,” Schepmann said. “It’s a great event for our area and the surrounding communities. I really feel like I know the event from front to back now.”
However, the Star-Spangled Spectacular wasn’t Schepmann’s first rodeo. Schepmann was a highly visible volunteer for both of Holyrood’s recent Emerald Balls — fundraising events for the Holyrood City Park Playground Committee (2013) and the Holyrood Depot Committee (2016).
“Our park playground equipment was dangerous and in need of repair,” she said. “A group of community members got together and tried to figure out how we were going to fix it. We were brainstorming ideas and together as a group we came up with an auction, silent auction dinner and a dance.
“I had experience organizing a similar fundraiser before, so I kind of knew the ropes and wanted to share with my community the resources to do an event like that. So we were able to raise enough money to restore the park, which we did.”
The recent 2016 Emerald Ball raised over $20,300 towards restoration of the Holyrood Depot, which will be utilized as a community museum for the Holyrood area.
“I think between the Emerald Ball, a playhouse raffle and some grants, the Depot Committee now has most of the funds they need to complete that project,” Schepmann said.
A Wichita native, Schepmann moved to the area about 15 years ago where she met her husband Ted. The couple farm in the southwestern corner of Ellsworth County. She earned her Associates Degree in Sociology at Butler County Community College and her Bachelors of Applied Science in Human Services from Washburn University. After graduation, Schepmann gained experience and earned qualifications through the National Organization of Credentialing and Education to serve as a Board Certified Human Service Practitioner which requires ongoing education and experience to maintain.
She has worked in worked in the human services field for about 10 years, most recently working as the Director for Central Kansas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which covers a five-county area.
“It was a big adjustment moving out here from the city, but I love it and would never go back,” she said. “I started getting involved in the community with internships at Clara Barton Hospital, CASA and Big Brothers and Big Sisters.”
Schepmann thinks that community support will be a big asset in her new job as the Chamber Director.
“We are here to support the businesses and members in town and I think—like the fireworks event — it just takes a community group-effort to be successful. And we have that. There are a ton of support here and a lot of great people and businesses.
“I do believe that when people come together and work as a team, great things happen in the community.”
The Schepmann live north of Holyrood with their children Austin, who works at H&B Communications and is attending Barton Community College and Lindsay who will be a fourth grader at Central Plains Elementary School in Holyrood.