This week’s chamber coffee was held at Nex-Tech at 3700 10th St. Nex-Tech is celebrating 75 years of providing services to central and western Kansas, with 23 of those years being in Great Bend. They first started providing service in the small town of Lenora. They are currently looking to bring on more help here in Great Bend as they continue to expand including positions for field ops. Nex-Tech gave away several door prizes including one year of free wi-fi. Staff reminisced about the early days, when Nex-Tech offered mainly party-lines where multiple households share the same landline number.

On June 10, they are hosting TechEdge 2026, at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, with a surprise speaker from the tech industry that will be there. They also emphasized robotics that will be showcased there at the event.

The next chamber coffee will be held at Equity Bank, 4101 10th St.

Chamber announcements

• Military and First Responders Night Out on Friday, April 24, from 6-8 p.m. at 916 Williams St.
• Saintly Stories and Flavors on Friday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. and on Saturday, April 25, at 3:00 p.m. at 3600 Broadway.
• Friday, April 24, Final Fridays on Forest at 5 p.m. on Forest Ave.
• Indie Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 25, at 10 a.m. at the Velvet Bookmark.
• Great Bend Zoo 5th Annual Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, at 11 a.m April 25.
• Daiquiris & Daisies on Saturday, April 25, at 6:30 p.m. at Kelly’s Garden Sense.
• KWEC Pocket Poetry on Sunday, April 26, at 3 p.m. at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center, 592 NE K-156.
• Barton County Commission meeting on Tuesday, April 28, at 9 a.m. at the courthouse.
• Third Annual Toddler Prom on Tuesday, April 28, at 10:30 a.m. at the Great Bend Public Library.
• VFW Post 3111: Cornhole on Wednesday, April 29, from 7-9 p.m. at 504 Washington.
• Spring Fest on Wednesday, April 29, at 6 p.m. at Grace Community Church.