Jamie Biesiada
An adage that I've heard a number of times in my years covering retail travel sales is that a travel agent will get out of their business what they put into it.
Ellen Overcast, the owner of a Dream Vacations franchise in Kutztown, Pa., is a great example of that: Not only does she run a successful agency, but she spends a good deal of time volunteering in her community. That comes full circle, because when locals want to travel, they immediately think of Overcast.
Ellen Overcast, owner of a Dream Vacations franchise in Kutztown, Pa. Photo Credit: World Travel Holdings
She was recently honored with Dream Vacations' OPAL Award for Women, given in March to celebrate Women's History Month. The award goes to female franchise owners who exemplify "outstanding performance and leadership" (hence the name of the award).
"Ellen not only created new ways to do business during the pandemic, but she continued to devote time to serving her community through volunteering and fundraising," Dream Vacations COO Debbie Fiorino said in a statement. "She epitomizes what it means to be an OPAL winner, and I am honored to present Ellen with the 2022 OPAL Award."
Overcast went to community college at the age of 40 to study travel and tourism. For a short time, she worked for an agency that closed, so she shifted to working in the hotel industry. But she found herself missing being a travel agent.
About 12 years ago, with the encouragement of her husband, she bought her Dream Vacations franchise. She describes it as "one of the best decisions I made."
She started out part time but was so successful that she went full time and got a storefront location.
Her community-service resume is deep: She's a member of the board at Friend Inc., a food pantry and community service organization; she's a member of the Rotary Club, another community service group; she's the chair of the special events committee of the Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce.
During the height of the pandemic, she shifted a chamber of commerce murder mystery dinner from in person to virtual; she did virtual murder mystery events with other agents, too, and even held one for clients.
While she enjoys all her volunteer efforts, they also have the benefit of visibility for her travel business. Overcast often sponsors things for local schools, like a new track and a skate park.
"It's just whatever I can do to help the kids and the community," she said. "I just enjoy doing that."
Things are picking up again travel-wise, Overcast was happy to report. She's hearing from a number of cruisers with FCCs on the books and from families interested in getting away together.
She's also gaining new clients.
"I'm getting a lot of new clients, the people that used to book on their own or go online and book it," Overcast said. "When Covid hit, they realized the value of a travel agent. We were advocated."
Now, Overcast is working on a client appreciation cruise. She's also putting together a themed river cruise for 2023 that hearkens back to her virtual murder mystery dinners: An AmaWaterways Nile cruise with its very own murder mystery.
"That," she said, "is gonna be fun."