Shortly after noon on Wednesday, April 13, 2021, members of Morrison Chamber of Commerce gathered to honor both Kayla Sipes and KAST Laser Creations, with a “Because Nice Matters!” customer service award. Sipes and her parents, Kelvin and Sara Tenboer, own the laser etching business, located at 307 S. Orange Street, Morrison, IL.
This computerized design and production business opened November 12, 2019. Water bottles, tumblers, and cutting boards engraved with recipes are the most-requested items for personalization. However, they source from a catalog of 2000 items which can be purchased for engraving. Some people have brought items to the business to engrave.
KAST Laser Creations received a certificate stating, “In appreciation of your efforts in creating the best experience for your customers and our community, the Morrison Chamber of Commerce proudly recognizes and congratulates you, as the recipient of the Because Nice Matters! Award. We sincerely appreciate your customer service and your commitment to our community!”
This business award was for creating multiple, uplifting experiences for front-line workers in Morrison and Sterling, IL, and Clinton, IA. During the 2020 pandemic, stated Sipes, “We had no orders coming in at the time. We decided to make something from KAST Laser Creations for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The family donated 300 tumblers over a few week’s time. “It took a long time to prepare!” Sipes remembered. Appropriate logos were created; different colors were selected for the groups. Approximately 20 Morrison USPS employees received blue tumblers with a first name engraved. Morrison Police Officers also received blue, personalized tumblers, but Fire Fighters got red ones.
“All the hospital workers’ tumblers had the hospital logo and person’s name on them: Morrison Community Hospital; CGH Medical Center; MercyOne Clinton Medical Center.”
Sipes earned a Chamber of Commerce certificate for her 2020 herculean efforts to “edit almost 1000 photos[, drone videos,] and 300 minutes of video filming,” on behalf of the City of Morrison. Material had been gathered in order to apply for an HGTV Hometown Makeover competition. Chamber Director LeAnn Schaefer asked Sipes to edit it for submission–in only four day’s time. Sipes noted she worked into the early morning hours on this complicated process.
“I have a degree in Media Production from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL,” Sipes noted. Interviews, such as those with Mayor Everett Pannier and Dr. Bradey Yaklich, was very challenging. “[Commentary] had to overlay the video; I had to create the story” by sequencing all the pieces.
Schaefer wrote on Sipes’s certificate, “In appreciation for your efforts in creating the best experience for our community, the Morrison Chamber of Commerce proudly recognizes and congratulates you, as the recipient of the Because Nice Matters! Award. We sincerely appreciate your outstanding commitment to our community!” Ironically, the Chamber of Commerce presented Sipes with an etched KAST beverage holder.
In 2019, Sipes and her parents contacted Epilogue Laser Company in Valparaiso, IN, and then traveled there to see the operation. They took a cutting board and a copy of the late Ruth Tenboer’s oatmeal cookie recipe as a test piece. The family watched intently as the computerized laser etched Kelvin’s mother’s handwriting into the board. The family was sold! They ordered a laser machine and drove home, preparing to open their business that year.
When an Epilogue machine is purchased, on-site training takes place a week later. “The night we got the machine, we read the directions and figured how to start. We made a tumbler,” said Sipes. “I sent it to a Football mom and asked, ‘What do you think of this?’ That night we had 50 orders for Football people and parents! More orders came after that.”
Sara Tenboer commented, “Kelvin and I are both retired and enjoying helping when we are not on vacation. Our partner and daughter Kayla is always there for us to do what is needed. Our other daughter, Kelly [Gosch], also helps when she has time from her other job.
“The neatest thing is to see the incredible items we make and the happiness they bring people. We have done several fundraisers for schools and teams. Last year we gave back over $7000 to schools, teams, and a gymnastics gym! You can find us on Facebook or www.Kastlasercreations.com.” Facebook has brought them orders from Georgia, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
Kayla added they supplied etched drinkware, water bottles, and 9 x 13 lidded cake pans for 15 fundraisers, in Clinton, Dixon, IL, Morrison, and Sterling. “Two weeks ago, a cake pan fundraiser returned $1730 dollars to the Morrison Junior High Activity Fund. The Quad City Heat Baseball Team sold drinkware and cake pans.”
Job descriptions follow. Kayla designs and makes products on their two machines. Business Manager Sara orders supplies and handles accounting, finances, and billing. She is working on a website. Kelvin cleans finished products, packages them, and maintains machinery. Kelly handles sales, does some design work, and makes products if needed.
With the growth of KAST Laser Creations, Kayla tired of her three-days-a-week commute from Rochelle, IL. She and husband Evan Sipes moved back to Morrison in May 2020. In that year, the owners sent flowers to thank customers who had ordered a certain level of items. With a wedding order, they included a note and an engraved trivet as a wedding gift. Sipes noted, “We really like to do things that are sentimental.”
They work “with 15-20 vendors” and are expanding the popular drinkware line. “Every holiday can be an inspiration [for personalized gifts.] We have a perfect gift for every celebration of life.” New engraved items include wedding cake toppers; funeral lanterns and cremation urns; tumblers for beach trips; utensil holders and grilling sets; wallets and checkbook holders; messages on jewelry; cookbook easels; children’s art etched onto your choice of items.
KAST Laser Creations drinkware is sold at Embraced, The Loft on Main, and 1-2-3 Tee’s on Main Street.
Sara Tenboer explained the family-inclusive acronym of the KAST brand. K represents Kelvin and daughters Kelly and Kayla. A is for sons Andrew and Anthony and mini Labrador Retriever Annie. S stands for Sara and mini Lab Snuggles. T indicates the family surname, Tenboer.
To learn more or make a request for personalized items, call Sara Tenboer at 815-213-1379 or Kayla Sipes at 815-213-0623.
Sharing the double Chamber of Commerce recognitions were, left-to-right, Chamber Board Member Lisa Sage; Owners Kayla Sipes and her parents, Sara and Kelvin Tenboer; Chamber Board President Kevin Schisler. Not available for the photo was daughter Kelly Gosch.
