Are we becoming too dependent as a society on spell check? The line starts behind me for the group of lousy spellers. Never did compete well in spelling bees while in school.
Over the years, I've developed a soft spot for literacy programs in the various communities where I have lived. Back in the Black Hills tutoring was one way to give back. In Kansas it was serving on the Friends of the Library Council. North Dakota found me recruiting and twisting arms of folks to serve on the Library Board. And in Idaho, they even recruited me to serve as the "pronouncer" for a Corporate Spelling Bee program to benefit the literacy council. You wouldn't believe how many 2nd and 5th grade spelling champs there are walking around today.
Was sharing the stories of the Corporate Spelling Bee with some folks a few weeks back. There seemed to be some genuine interest in possibly initiating a similar program here. Might be an effort started to begin something like that in Marshall.
Still at the initial planning stages, but would be glad to hear from anyone who might have an interest in serving on a Spelling Bee Committee. Any takers? We'll probably have our first meeting on August 13th.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Fried Bacon: Secret Shoppers coming to Marshall
Some interesting reading in the comments section of a local website. Current dialogue seems to focus on shopping in local businesses. Comments seem to range from pricing to customer service. A few folks have even suggested that they prefer to shop elsewhere. Ouch.
Wanted to share a couple of thoughts on this topic. Am continually amazed at the number of folks who will travel elsewhere to try and save a few dollars. In some instances, real savings can be made. Some local businesses just don't have the buying power that larger volume businesses might have in bigger cities.
However, what really fries the bacon are these same folks who are willing to travel out of town to save a buck or two who then visit local merchants asking for a donation for a kids, church, or civic cause. How can they expect local merchants to support their cause, when they are not making the effort to support local business?
Please remember that local businesses are folks who are paying wages to our residents. They live here too. Their kids go to our schools and they attend our churches. They shop locally, even when they know they can get some things for less elsewhere. They gladly support local causes, even when the folks doing the asking aren't their customers. But they should be!
For those folks who suggest that they can get a better price elsewhere, then maybe they need to solicit for their causes elsewhere too.
Shhhhh! It's a Secret.
Next month your chamber is partnering with Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) at SMSU to offer a Secret Shoppers Program for local businesses. It's free to our members. You just need to sigh up first. It's a great opportunity for local businesses to have SIFE members secretly shop their business to check on customer service, store appearance, and the quality shopping experience. Results and a seminar are scheduled for later in the month. Contact the chamber office for more details.
Wanted to share a couple of thoughts on this topic. Am continually amazed at the number of folks who will travel elsewhere to try and save a few dollars. In some instances, real savings can be made. Some local businesses just don't have the buying power that larger volume businesses might have in bigger cities.
However, what really fries the bacon are these same folks who are willing to travel out of town to save a buck or two who then visit local merchants asking for a donation for a kids, church, or civic cause. How can they expect local merchants to support their cause, when they are not making the effort to support local business?
Please remember that local businesses are folks who are paying wages to our residents. They live here too. Their kids go to our schools and they attend our churches. They shop locally, even when they know they can get some things for less elsewhere. They gladly support local causes, even when the folks doing the asking aren't their customers. But they should be!
For those folks who suggest that they can get a better price elsewhere, then maybe they need to solicit for their causes elsewhere too.
Shhhhh! It's a Secret.
Next month your chamber is partnering with Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) at SMSU to offer a Secret Shoppers Program for local businesses. It's free to our members. You just need to sigh up first. It's a great opportunity for local businesses to have SIFE members secretly shop their business to check on customer service, store appearance, and the quality shopping experience. Results and a seminar are scheduled for later in the month. Contact the chamber office for more details.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Get on the Bus!
An interesting meeting at our office yesterday. A group of public and private transportation providers, along with representatives of major employers met to discuss a coordinated effort to get state and federal grants to research, design, and possibly implement a regional public transportation system.
Several of the community's larger employers will soon be conducting a survey of their employees to determine the following.
Several of the community's larger employers will soon be conducting a survey of their employees to determine the following.
- Where do employees live (with an emphasis on those who do not live in Marshall).
- Do employees currently carpool or use some sort of public or shared transportation.
- How likely would employees be to use regional public transportation to get from home (or near home) to work.
If the results show a strong interest in a regional public transportation service, it could improve the chances to get grant funding especially if we can demonstrate broad-based support from the public and private sector.
How might this work? Wouldn't it be great if demand and interest showed that a bus leaving Canby at 6 a.m. could make 3 stops along the way to Marshall to pick up folks living along or near Highway 68? The bus might then make 1 or 2 terminal stops in Marshall where riders would transfer from the bus to a people mover (mini bus), that would then take them to several drop off points at local businesses, thus arriving in time for work by 7:30 a.m.
A reverse route for the return trip could be scheduled to accommodate for shift changes and regular work schedules.
Some local employers are already reporting a significant increase in the amount of ride sharing and car pooling.
It may take a few months to do the research and secure funding to make this idea a reality. The benefits of this happening are numerous, from smaller carbon footprints to business tax credits, not to mention possible cost savings in getting to and from work.
The first step in the process was made with yesterday's meeting. The next steps require business and public input and support.
Stay tuned for more details. And please feel free to share your thoughts here and with others.Thursday, July 10, 2008
Now "Comment Friendly"
Couple of folks asked about how they can add comments to the blog. Sorry for the past challenges of having leave everything but the kitchen sink to post a comment.
Fortunately, a simple click or two of the mouse disabled most of the hurdles required to leave a comment. Still have the anti-spam measure, but otherwise, you're now more free to leave comments, with our without your name. Heck, you can even remain anonymous!
Please feel free to leave as many comments as you chose to leave.
Fortunately, a simple click or two of the mouse disabled most of the hurdles required to leave a comment. Still have the anti-spam measure, but otherwise, you're now more free to leave comments, with our without your name. Heck, you can even remain anonymous!
Please feel free to leave as many comments as you chose to leave.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Abundance Weekends
People keep telling me that "everyone" leaves town on weekends during the summer to go to the lake.
Judging by the number of folks who seem to find the retail parking lots on the SE side of town the past few weekends gives me an entirely different spin to consider.
If you trust what the state demographer (and others) are telling us, somewhere north of 6000 people, who don't live in Marshall, come to town Monday through Friday for work. Combined with the nearly 13,000 that live here, we become a community of nearly 20,000 during the week.
Along come the summer weekends, and here's where things get interesting.
Let's suppose that (conservatively) 15% of our residents do head to the lake on most weekends. If you take those 2000 folks who go to the lake and add to them the 6000+ M-F workers that don't come to town on their days off, it's no wonder that many folks have the impression that the town "empties" on weekends. After all, we go from a City of nearly 20,000 during the week to one nearly half that size on weekends.
What it does mean is that 85% of our population (over 10,000) do stick around most every weekend. And, if you add to that number those folks from the region who do come to Marshall for shopping, entertainment, and other activities on the weekend, we should manage to maintain a stable population base from which to draw, regardless of the attraction or activity.
There's a term out there that's called "Abundance Mentality." It's a fancy way of referring how one sees the glass of water: half full or half empty.
If you're in the group that thinks everyone leaves town on the weekend, chances are you were one of the folks trying to find a parking place at the last minute in the Runnings Parking Lot to watch fireworks on the 4th of July.
Judging by the number of folks who seem to find the retail parking lots on the SE side of town the past few weekends gives me an entirely different spin to consider.
If you trust what the state demographer (and others) are telling us, somewhere north of 6000 people, who don't live in Marshall, come to town Monday through Friday for work. Combined with the nearly 13,000 that live here, we become a community of nearly 20,000 during the week.
Along come the summer weekends, and here's where things get interesting.
Let's suppose that (conservatively) 15% of our residents do head to the lake on most weekends. If you take those 2000 folks who go to the lake and add to them the 6000+ M-F workers that don't come to town on their days off, it's no wonder that many folks have the impression that the town "empties" on weekends. After all, we go from a City of nearly 20,000 during the week to one nearly half that size on weekends.
What it does mean is that 85% of our population (over 10,000) do stick around most every weekend. And, if you add to that number those folks from the region who do come to Marshall for shopping, entertainment, and other activities on the weekend, we should manage to maintain a stable population base from which to draw, regardless of the attraction or activity.
There's a term out there that's called "Abundance Mentality." It's a fancy way of referring how one sees the glass of water: half full or half empty.
If you're in the group that thinks everyone leaves town on the weekend, chances are you were one of the folks trying to find a parking place at the last minute in the Runnings Parking Lot to watch fireworks on the 4th of July.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
More Favorites!
Interesting feedback from several folks who chatted with me about my top five favorite things in Marshall (since getting here in Mid-April). Wanted to add another to my list. The day that blog got posted had the chance to visit for the first time the Red Barron Museum at the Airport. Wow! If you've not been there yet, you won't be disappointed.
Also thought it might be fun to ask and to check with the other three in the chamber office to get their perspective and thoughts on their favorite things about Marshall.
Without listing whose favorites belonged to whom...have to protect my good working graces with Lori, Joyce, and Karen you know! Here's what they gave to me as their top 2 or 3:
Also thought it might be fun to ask and to check with the other three in the chamber office to get their perspective and thoughts on their favorite things about Marshall.
Without listing whose favorites belonged to whom...have to protect my good working graces with Lori, Joyce, and Karen you know! Here's what they gave to me as their top 2 or 3:
- All my Favorites performance
- SMSU Homecoming parade
- Fireworks at Independence Park on July 4th
- Dinner at The Bistro
- "I can get from here to there in minutes!
- Patio Party at the Nickel
- Baseball game at Legion Field Park
- "Everybody knows my name here"
- My backyard
- The new Regional Event Center
These are their short lists. We would welcome the chance to read about yours. Why not take a minute and click on the "comments" note at the end of this blog and share your favorites with us and others?
Crazy Days is just around the corner. July 17th will make for a great day of shopping regardless of what part of town you visit. It begins at 7 a.m. and many will continue the sale until 8 that night or later! This year's theme will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the State of Minnesota, its sesquicentennial.
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