Ambassador Visits - January 2020
posted in Chamber of Commerce on February 14, 2020
Waverly, IA – The Waverly Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors recently recognized four area businesses, presenting two First Dollar Awards and two Progress Awards.
The Ambassador Committee presented The Frayed Feather, 213 E Bremer Ave., with a First Dollar Award. The Frayed Feather, which opened its storefront in late 2019, is a home decor and gift shop. Owner Valerie Aguilera describes the shop saying, “At The Frayed Feather, we carry products made by numerous local small business ‘makers’. I love to support the small guy passionately doing what he or she loves, and then bring that to the downtown shopping district. I feel good, and I think my customers do too, when they know more about who their money and purchases are supporting.” The Frayed Feather offers a downtown hub to sell local makers’ products, repurposes vintage items for use again and initiates meaningful conversations with customers about items they are purchasing. Aguilera felt Waverly was the perfect location for a store that makes customers rethink the way they shop and to do better by the community by shopping local. Aguilera enjoys the face to face contact with her makers and customers and has no intention of doing online sales or e-commerce, instead, trying to shift the shopping experience back to downtown businesses.
The Ambassador committee then presented the Kristi Demuth Agency, Inc., 408 W Bremer Ave., Ste A, with a Progress Award in recognition of her 30 years in business. Kristi Demuth started with American Family Insurance in 1989, in Charles City. She relocated her Agency to Waverly in 1997. In addition to Demuth, she has two licensed staff members consisting of Sherene Molnar, Customer Loyalty Specialist, and Karna Lewis, Customer Service Representative. They are a full-service insurance agency offering auto, home, life, farm, ranch and commercial insurance. Their office is open Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00 and evenings and weekends by appointment. Kristi Demuth Agency’s mission is to provide clients with the best customer service and coverage possible.
Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community was presented with a Progress Award to recognize new staff members in leadership roles to the organization – including new CEO, Paula Giese, who assumed her new role in November of 2019. Giese took over following Deb Schroeder’s retirement after 24 years at Bartels. Geise most recently held the position of Regional Director of Operational Initiatives for Unity Point at Home. She has her Masters Degree in Nursing with an emphasis in leadership from the University of Northern Iowa and Allen College, Waterloo. Paula has over 30 years of experience in various roles in the health care industry and looks to take the Bartels work place culture to the next level for the incredible staff of almost 250.
New Bartels chaplain, Pastor Mike Blair, assumed his role in January 2020 after previously serving as chaplain for Luther College in Decorah. Angie Daniels, Bartels new Marketing & Development Coordinator was also on hand to accept the award. Bartels has over 65 years of experience in long-term care and 32 years of experience in independent living. With its Christian-based mission and “residents first” philosophy, Bartels gives residents peace of mind knowing they can move to a higher level of care when needed without having to leave the community they call home.
A ribbon cutting was held for UnityPoint Clinic Express, 101 Cedar River Pkwy. Suite 101, for their newly opened clinic in Waverly. This new walk-in clinic location will be quite similar to urgent care clinics in Waterloo and Cedar Falls with an emphasis on convenience and a more personal experience. The Express model of care features a time-saving process that has produced an average door-to-door time less than 30 minutes. Clinical care attendants are medical professionals who will greet each individual as he or she enters the clinic and remain with that same patient through the visit. The clinical care attendant is trained to help every step of the way, including registration, vitals, symptom assessment and laboratory or x-ray services while working with a nurse practitioner or physician for diagnosis and treatment. UnityPoint Clinic Express can treat non-emergency conditions such as cold, flu, sore throat and minor sports injuries as well as additional services such as school/sports physicals, flu shots and after-hours occupational health services. The clinic will be open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. every day of the year, including holidays.
The Waverly Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Program serves as a public relations arm of the Waverly Chamber by welcoming new businesses, recognizing business expansion efforts, recruiting new members to the Waverly Chamber and by serving as a representative of the Chamber throughout the community.
For more information, please contact the Waverly Chamber of Commerce at (319) 352-4526 or waverly@waverlychamber.com.