Team Effort Results In Warm Welcome

Bear Creek Coffee in Ulysses was buzzing with activity Monday morning as local teachers and staff gathered for the now annual "Welcome Back To School Breakfast".

This is our second year hosting the breakfast at Bear Creek,” explained Dana Trahern of NextHome Dana Trahern Realty. “The first year, we took breakfast to each individual school, but I really wanted to have it here at Bear Creek. It works out perfectly—they have the space and everything falls into place.”

The annual event, now in its third year, is a joint effort by NextHome Dana Trahern Realty, Prairie Vista Dental, and Ulysses Eye Care.

For Trahern, the breakfast carries a personal connection.

“I used to be a teacher at USD 214,” she shared. “Cary Binney (Russ' Grocery Store) would host a breakfast for us at the Civic Center. We all loved it—but the only downside was that after we ate, we had to sit for a three-hour in-service.”

Wanting to give local educators a more relaxed start to the school year, Trahern set out to create a similar tradition—minus the marathon meeting afterward.

“My thought was to give teachers a place where they could eat, visit, and enjoy themselves, then head back to their schools to work on their own schedule,” she said.

Planning starts months in advance in coordination with school administration to get the breakfast on the calendar.

“The day before, we decorate and get everything set up,” Trahern explained. “We share the details on social media, and we work with Kristy Frazee at Bear Creek on the menu. At the event, we help wherever we’re needed.”

This year’s breakfast drew an nearly 200 attendees, filling Bear Creek with the sound of conversation, laughter, and a shared sense of community.

"Hopefully they were able to come and have a great time, and get to visit before they had to go to work ," Trahern said.

Whitney Bishop, Prairie Vista Dental is "grateful".

"I am grateful for the teachers and staff and everything they do for the community and the kiddos," Bishop said. "I have five kids in the school system - I couldn't do what they do. It is wonderful seeing them all come together, and seeing all the 'beginning of school energy' they have."

The event is possible because of "teamwork".

"It is a team effort," Trahern said. "We have fun doing it. Our hope is the teachers will come, have a great breakfast, and get to visit with their teacher friends, who maybe they haven't seen for awhile. We know how hard they work, so hopefully it will give them a good start to the year."

Trahern and Bishop are joined in heading up/sponsoring the event by Brayden Bishop, Prairie Vista Dental; and Callie and Reed Mcatee of Ulysses Eye Care. Others who lend a helping hand with putting the event on include Trista Metcalf, Transaction Coordinator and Angela Lopez, Realtor, both of NextHome Dana Trahern Realty.

Trahern got the whole thing started.

"I called Bishops and McAtee's  when I first decided to put on this breakfast, because they are both big community supporters, so I knew they would be happy to be a part of this," she said.

And she was right - Bishop appreciates having the opportunity to be involved.

"Dana organized it and reached out to me," she said. "I am so honored she is letting me a part of it. She is so great to be involved  in the community, and great at doing this."

Looking ahead, Trahern said they already have plans for next year's event.