Abilene, TX: How I Got Connected to My Community
When Kelsi and Joe Mangrem moved from San Angelo to Abilene, TX, eight years ago to seize an opportunity for Kelsi to own her own business, several things made them nervous. However, the anxiousness surrounding making new friends and getting plugged into their new community soon melted away.
Read ahead to learn more about their journey to Abilene, TX, and how they went about meeting and connecting with others in their community.
What brought you to Abilene, TX?
Kelsi: I was an audiologist for West Texas Rehabilitation Center in San Angelo, and Joe was an assistant city engineer for San Angelo. Holland Hearing Center in Abilene is a private hearing health care clinic that was on the market, and we looked at it and decided it was something we wanted to pursue. There were a lot of nerves, anxiety and self-doubt. We were 28 and 31 when we did it, so it was a big leap of faith.
What about Abilene, TX, made it easy to be a new business owner?
Kelsi: There were many things I felt I was naive about in the business realm when I first started, but the biggest resource for me – and biggest return on investment – has been community involvement, particularly with the Abilene Chamber of Commerce. This is a community where you get out what you put into it.
One of the first events and organizations we got involved in was the Abilene Young Professionals (AYP), where everybody was super inviting and knowledgeable. We’ve just continued to build on that year after year.
How did you make friends and get connected in Abilene, TX?
Kelsi: The majority of our friends were made through joining the chamber. I am not one who typically gravitates toward organizations – I like to stay in my bubble – but this is a very inviting community. If you want to meet people, join an organization you’re passionate about, like the chamber. We have lots of different organizations where you can find like-minded people. It’s effortless to get to know people here.
What does joining the chamber entail?
Joe: The chamber is a group of community businesses that got together, and it is their voice that brings support throughout the community. A lot is going on in our community, and I can tell you that AYP is one of the central “happening” places hosting events that are geared toward 21- to 40-year-olds in business. They’re like the hub of a wagon wheel that is connected to anything and everything going on in the community. The chamber does a great job marketing its events through newsletters and social media.
Is it easy for families to plant roots in Abilene, TX?
Kelsi: We started with a 2-year-old here, and now, we have two children. We are the Storybook Capital of America, so the chamber is very involved in trying to incorporate family-friendly events throughout the year.
Joe: The public school system is invested in its child care facilities, and Abilene Christian University just opened a new facility for its faculty’s child care. Plus, a lot of privately owned businesses have opened day cares within their businesses or are providing some type of stipend or some kind of funding for child care.
Where else can newcomers make friends and get connected in Abilene, TX?
Joe: We just passed a bond as a community to expand and double the size of the city zoo, and there are also a couple of great lakes around, including Abilene State Park and Fort Phantom, which are open to the public.
Kelsi: We are also the central hub for many youth sports tournaments and state tournaments as well as rodeos, Western heritage and livestock shows. The Taylor County Expo Center has wonderful facilities for these events and many more. There is also a lot of live music here and plenty of event centers that will host dances, concerts and all kinds of stuff.
What advice do you have for newcomers or those considering a move to Abilene, TX?
Kelsi: Reach out to the chamber, tell them what your interests are and where they would recommend you get plugged in, if that’s something you’d like to do. If not, just go into a local restaurant, meet the owners and say hello to somebody and get to know them. You’re going to be hard-pressed to find somebody who doesn’t want to meet you or get to know you, especially if you’re not from here.
Joe: Get in through your employer. There are plenty of people in Abilene who want to help new people get involved and connected. That’s one of the strengths Abilene has shown us. They’re very welcoming and very willing to plug you in wherever you want to work.
This article was sponsored by the Abilene Regional Growth Alliance, a division of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce. The Abilene Chamber is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian organization that advocates for pro-business policies that create jobs and grow our economy.
