By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A well-placed social media post can make or break the promotion of an event. The Ellinwood Chamber of Commerce will up its social media presence in 2024 with the addition of Lesli O'Neill as the new social media and communications coordinator effective Jan. 1. O'Neill will be in charge of handling the chamber's various electronic means of reaching the public.
"Things that get posted on Facebook for the chamber, or the chamber's Instagram page," she said. "We're also going to be updating the website, just refreshing it a little bit and making it a little bit more current."
Part of the website upgrade will include a new community calendar. O'Neill hails from western Kansas but moved to Ellinwood in 2012 to teach. She taught video production at Ellinwood High School and transitioned to yearbook, photography, English, and a handful of other classes. She now takes that experience to social media to highlight community events and local businesses.
"That's a lot of how businesses promote themselves anymore," she said. "I think it's almost easier to get information out through a Facebook or Instagram post. People can see it when they want to. It's just easier to reach people."
O'Neill met her husband, Sean, who is also a teacher at EHS in 2013. He continues to teach in the district. Lesli retired from teaching to stay home and take care of the couple's 18-month-old daughter.