LUSK - Niobrara Chamber Director Jackie Bredthauer will soon be spending her free time enjoying her grandchildren and scrapbooking. After over 23 years of working at the Chamber, Bredthauer will be hanging up her hat on September 30.

Bredthauer had previously worked at the Niobrara Community Hospital as the dietary manager for 22 years before moving into the role of Chamber Director.

“For the most part it has been wonderful,” Bredthauer told the Herald. “I have gotten to meet some really cool people. I met a couple from New Zealand and I brought them a lot memorabilia of the town and they are still in contact with me and my family.”

It has been lasting relationships that Bredthauer has enjoyed through her work at the Chamber.

“I met a hunter, who I am still friends with today. He calls me two or three times a year and he brings me seafood,” Bredthauer added.

During the solar eclipse that happen on August 21, 2017, there were no small preparations for the Chamber.

“The solar eclipse was a lot better than what I thought it was. We prepared for the worst, but got a lot better than what we expected,” Bredthauer shared. “We were very fortunate that we were able to give a lot of money back to the services that helped participate during the solar eclipse.”

“I’ve seen a lot of changes in the last five years, partly because of COVID, but partly because of technology,” Bredthauer lamented. “A lot of people just use their computers and phones now. The Wyoming Office of Tourism still gives out a lot of the Wyoming magazines, but, for the most part, people are planning with their phones and on the internet. So, for the most part, we don’t see the traffic in the office like we used too. We still see some people come into the office.”

Fortunately, the Niobrara Chamber Board has found Bredthauer’s replacement with recent South Dakota transplant, Morgan Nolan.

Nolan has plenty of experience working within the marketing industry through her time as a realtor in South Dakota and within Wyoming for the last seven years. Nolen has experience working with Quick Books. Nolen had worked with the tourism board in South Dakota and worked with several hotels with promoting their community.

“Building that online presence and building awareness,” Nolen said of promoting businesses. “I am really hoping to promote more brand awareness and really pushing to have an online platform.”

“My husband’s family is from here and we are finding that our children our thriving here,” Nolan said. “We are really enjoying the slower pace and we have decided to make Lusk our permanent residence.” 

The primary function of the Chamber is to promote tourism. According to Bredthauer, the Chamber is not allowed to compete with local businesses. Bredthauer said that, in the past, the Chamber would host an event here and there. However, the cost of hosting events was becoming too high, and the Chamber was losing money. “We’ve had more organizations fill in those kinds of things for us,” Bredthauer commented. “We are membership funded. We get a small fraction from the city office and, as of right now, we are funded through the Lodging Tax Board. There may be some changes that come down the pike later when it comes to things like funding.”

According to Bredthauer, the Chamber does not receive funding from the State of Wyoming and there have been times when the Chamber has been able to obtain funds from a Recreation Grant.

“I am looking forward to spending time with my daughter and grandchildren,” Bredthauer said. “And, I am looking forward to scrapbooking. I just won’t have the commitment of being in the office and, if I want to stay an extra day with my daughter, then I will be able too. I’m looking forward to it.”

“We [the Chamber Board] are hoping that Morgan will be able to attend the Wyoming State Chamber meeting in October and a Wyoming Office of Tourism Summit Fall meeting, too,” Bredthauer said. “I’ll still help out though and am always a phone call away if Morgan needs me to watch the office or needs help with something.”

Nolan is looking forward to working with the community and is hoping that, eventually, she can have some QR codes for places such as the Stagecoach Museum and the Chamber.

“I’d love to have some of the older maps to be online. Everyone is using their phones now and it would be nice for people to have access to those things,” Nolen said.

“Just getting our name out there further and, in turn, getting people to stay here and bring more cash into the community. We’re working on some plans.”