The Cherry on Top Department (& whatnot)

I attended a talk by Creative Cities Founder Peter Kageyama to day at the McPherson Opera House. There were about 90 people there -- a pretty good turnout for 7:30 on a rainy day I thought.
Peter, I'm gonna call him that because that's how he introduced himself to me not because we're close friends or anything, spoke about how creativity and innovation are the natural resources of the 21st Century, similar to how oil was THE natural resource of the 20th Century.
Creativity is standardly associated with artists while innovation is more linked to business and science. Creativity is a divergent process that begins a project. Innovation is a convergent process that creates an end product. Peter feels creativity and innovation are really two sides of the same coin and Apple is the best example of blurring the lines between the two.
It's the responsibility of all citizens to share their ideas and participate in the creative process.
Creative Cities will do their best to attract and retain talent and fight "brain drain." But who's job is it to attract talent to a city? The mayor can be a community's best salesman but very few people but company's don't traditionally have a director of talent.
The competition for talent has become a "shooting war," according to Peter. He gave the example of Louisville, KY's mayor who will hold Kentucky meet-ups in other states to try and attract Kentucky natives to return home. Brains don't drain, they circulate and tend to come back to the community they grew up in.
Cities looking for talent should not focus on just one age group. Recent grads, young professionals, marrieds with children, empty nesters and retirees all tend to look for the same things in a community -- namely affordable housing, entertainment opportunities, transportation options beyond a car and green spaces.
Then he talked about growing your own elephants, fostering krill as well as whales. Despite the mixed metaphors I think his point was to encourage young talent to develop and someday create a large successful company as opposed to going after a whale-sized company in another community.
Ways of appealing to young talent are to appeal to their tribal tendencies, seek out and connect with an influential member of their group and let him or her spread the word. Young talent does not believe advertising and are much more likely to believe what their friends have to say via social media.
My favorite part had to be the Love Notes to a City portion of his speech. He said the reasons we tend to hate a city are that it has problems with its infrastructure -- potholes, lack of parking. The reasons we love a city are the little touches like murals, parks, green spaces -- the cherries on top. Great quote: "Art and culture are what make a city fall in love with itself." Pier Giorgio Dicicco. It's important we take an expansive view of arts and culture -- it's not always packaged in the traditional forms of symphony, opera and ballet. Another good quote: "Museums are the mausoleums where art goes to die." I was sitting next to the McPherson Museum Director Carla Barber who got a chuckle out of that.
What did I take away from the lecture? I found it very helpful that Peter reinforced some of the sentiments and initiatives I've been working hard on this last year. I am a city department and while I can't improve the infrastructure I can help improve the quality of life with the small projects I take on like movies in the park, grants to help others market or stage events, hanging banners around town, holding photo contests and more. In the past the CVB adopted the stance that its job was strictly to promote and market events already taking place. I want to get more involved in hosting festivals and other events that would draw visitors to town. To do this, I need a healthy guest tax revenue, a supportive commission and the creativity and innovation necessary to think of new ideas and opportunities. Having those things is why I love my job so much.

volunteermcpherson.com offers a chance to help

I’ve often marveled after a big meal, how much quicker things get cleaned up when everyone pitches in and helps. It reminds me of that saying “Many hands make light work.”

One of the biggest challenges of putting on any event whether it be Sunday dinner or a two-day festival is finding enough volunteers to help with all that needs to be done.

Local organizers of sports tournaments have told me finding volunteers is always a hurdle to putting on a tournament.

When I worked at the Sentinel, I would hear from readers that were looking for volunteer opportunities. At the CVB we look for volunteers for different activities all year and rely on the goodwill of the local newspaper and radio station to help get the word out.

It’s a struggle on both ends and I’ve kept my eye out for a way to bring the two groups together. Finally the solution came to me a few months ago. As a member of the Optimist Club I was introduced to a wonderful online tool for organizing sign-ups – mysignup.com. It’s free and anyone can use it, they just need access to a computer.

The catch is it’s not always easy to search out opportunities in your community so my office has created a Web site that is meant to act as a clearinghouse for organizations needing volunteer help. That site, called volunteermcpherson.com, simply lists and links to different sign-ups.

If your organization is in need of volunteers from the general public, I encourage you to use the Web sites.

Here’s how it works

· Go to mysignup.com and create an account

· Create as many volunteer sign-ups as you like.

· Then e-mail me the links for your sign-ups and I’ll add it to volunteermcpherson.com. My e-mail is cvb@mcphersonks.org.

Have questions? Contact me at the CVB, 241-3340, and remember, April is National Volunteer month.

Tough times for some, opportunities for others

One of the first things I did after starting this job last year was attend the Kansas City Travel and Culinary Expo in Overland Park. It was the first time the show had been offered in KC and I got a last minute deal on a booth so I thought "Hey, why not?"
The show was aimed at consumers looking for vacation ideas and, for my first show, I thought it was well attended and I met many other CVBs.
So when the chance to attend it again this year came up, I jumped on board and have been looking forward to it. Unfortunately the show was recently canceled based on poor attendance at a similar show in Louisville. I only found this out by combing the internet trying to see why my confirmation had never arrived, but I was intrigued by the lengthy explanation from the show's organizers as to why they canceled the show that was posted on their Web site. Here's a few snippets:
"tourism, like many industries, is being hurt by the global economic crisis. State revenue from transportation, sales and hotel taxes have plummeted and many companies and government agencies, have been forced to lay off workers."
This statement may hold true in many parts of the country, but I wondered if this was the case in Kansas. I pulled up reports on guest tax collected in 2008 and compared them to similar reports for 2009 in search of the plummeting hotel taxes. For fiscal year 2008 (July through June), $31.2 million was collected in guest tax. For fiscal year 2009, $30.8 million was collected statewide. That's about a one percent decrease. The previous two years saw gains of 19.7 percent and 10.1 percent. So while revenue isn't growing at the same rate as previous years, it is holding fairly steady. McPherson has been fortunate to see an increase each of the last three fiscal years -- partly due to an increase in the number of hotel rooms available after Holiday Inn Express was built.
My foray into statistics has convinced me that 1) I didn't major in math for a reason and 2) people are still traveling, just maybe not as far. While that's bad news for Disney, it's good news for places like McPherson.
Here's another snippet:
"the emotional impact of living through the worst recession many consumers had experienced, continuing high unemployment and the fact that our economic bubbles have all burst -- will create a new consumer who spends money more conscientiously."
Sounds like a gloomy forecast or maybe the forecaster just needs a vacation. McPherson has many family-friendly activities and weekend getaway options. Swimming, golf, music venues, fun festivals like All Schools Day and the Scottish Festival, a beautiful downtown with unique shopping are all part of our affordable charm.
One great source for finding affordable local travel in Kansas is through the Kansas Sampler Foundation's new rural travel initiative Web site www.getruralkansas.org. Each participating town posts information about what there is to explore in their town. Locals always know the best places to go and this gives them a platform to get that information out to the world.
I've recently had the opportunity to work with the Sampler ladies on their most recent 8 Wonders contest. Maxwell Wildlife Refuge near Canton has been nominated as one of the top 24 finalist in the 8 Wonders of Kansas Geography. You can vote for Maxwell and learn something about the other 23 finalists at 8wonders.org.
You may have heard about the city's recent acquisition of Turkey Creek Golf Course. If you'd like to find out about the 2010 rates, current specials or see some great pictures of our fine course, visit www.golfturkeycreek.com or www.facebook.com/turkeycreek.

Opera House opening creates excitement

Can you feel the excitement in the air? It’s not from a post-holiday giving buzz but I’m incredibly excited about the upcoming opening of the McPherson Opera House at the end of this month.
First the fact the Opera House will bring in many new visitors to town makes me a happy CVB director. I’m lucky to get to work with my predecessor Judy Casey on marketing the first season of shows at the Opera House. Judy is just one of the many volunteers that has brought the Opera House back to life. I’d love to run through a list of them all but I’m afraid I’d overlook someone. You can volunteer at the Opera House too by calling 241-1952.
Second, I’m anxious to see a show in the remodeled auditorium. Though the grand opening will be for private donors, there will be ample opportunity in the coming months to see a show. Here’s the most recent list I have of scheduled shows for 2010.

Jan. 30 Free movies

Feb. 14 Tap Kids

Mar. 9 David Munnelly Band

Mar. 12-13 Cats Off Broadway

Mar. 20 Comedian James Gregory

Apr. 23 Brasil Guitar Duo

May 15 The Eric Vaughn Magic Review

June 12 The Three Little Pigs, Wichita Children’s Theater

June 19, 20, 25, 26, & 27 The Wizard of Oz, McPherson Community Theatre

Sept. 18 The Glenn Miller Orchestra

Oct. 2 Galactic Cowboy Orchestra

Keep up-to-date on the latest shows at mcphersonoperahouse.org.

January through March is typically a slow time of year for tourism in McPherson. We are firing up the trolley during those months for historical trolley tours for elementary, middle and high school classes. If you’d like to sponsor a tour for your child’s class at an extremely affordable rate, give me a call at (620) 241-3340.

JANUARY CONVENTIONS, REUNIONS, & TOURS

14-17 VFW Mid Winter Conference, Holiday Inn Express, 25 rooms

21-23 Sunflower Chapter NAIFA, Holiday Inn Express, 20 rooms

29 Days Inn, 20 rooms

The best reward

In every community I visit I always make a point of stopping and looking at murals that I see painted on the sides of buildings. As a tourism promoter, my job is to get people to come to town, not just pass through it, but stop and stay a while. So it wasn't a big stretch to see the opportunity for murals in downtown McPherson. There is no shortage of big blank walls downtown and we are fortunate enough to have a mural painting class at Central Christian College. I love when the opportunity to use a local resource to create something that is not only a draw for tourists but something that can improve the quality of life of the residents comes up. It's the best reward of my job.
Keep your eyes peeled for a new downtown mural next summer. If you own a building and would like to participate in our mural program, give me a call at 620-241-3340.

It takes a village to promote a village

I’ve been diligently trying to get my house ready to sell, fixing all the little things that I’ve ignored since we moved in. My four-year-old Jake, with the best intentions, decided to help me out by peeling the wallpaper on the stairway last week. While I’m sure Jake’s heart was in the right place, he wasn’t all that helpful, especially since peeling the wallpaper was not on my fix-up list.

As we sought out volunteers to cover the McPherson booth for 10 days at the State Fair in Hutchinson (check out Kelsey and Jo from KBBE, just two of our volunteers), I came across that same helpful spirit in many members of our community. It got me thinking how it really does take a village to promote a village.

Many of the events I attend to promote McPherson require the cooperation of many businesses and individuals. Here’s just a few examples:

· Holiday group tour planner in Oklahoma: Graber’s Ace Hardware loaned us Christmas lights and a Christmas village lighthouse, Cook’s Nook loaned us painted snowman plates, mugs and bowls, The Bookshelf let us use brass courthouse ornaments to decorate our tree and Artshirt had some great KU and K-State snowmen to set out.

· Great Bend Women’s Expo: The list is long here as we tried to pamper the ladies at this event and entice them to come to Mac for a ladies day out trip. Cook’s Nook gift basket for a door prize, Integrity Salon, Java John’s, Courtyard on Main, Rural Rooster, Stone Chimney, Brushes N Bling, Sassy Bags, The Cake Lady and Creative Hairlines.

What is great about businesses helping the CVB with donations is that we are able to distribute information for them to a group they might otherwise be unable to reach.

There are plenty of opportunities in the near future to partner with the CVB on events. The trolley holiday lights tours are coming up in December. We plan to have public tours on Thursdays starting from the Opera House again this year, but we’d also like to add another night during the week for tours since they sold out so quickly last year. If your business, group, church or school would like to host one of these tours and provide refreshments and possibly entertainment, let me know. We plan to continue our movies in the park next summer. If you’d like to sponsor a movie, give me a call. If you have an idea of your own for a community event – be it entertainment or sports-related, I’m always open to new ideas.

Remember, no man is an island, and if he was, good luck promoting it without a little help from the natives.

Become a fan of Visit McPherson on Facebook -- Facebook.com/visitmac

Overheard at the State Fair

We like our volunteers to write down comments from the people that stop by the booth at the State Fair. Here's a few of them and some commentary.

Compliment McPherson on being progressive Thank You!

McPherson is a nice town

Miss the The Button Hole

Chamber needs better signage directing visitors to downtown from the interstate. Actually, the CVB put up signs just this year directing visitors to several local attractions from the east and west entry points of town.

Miss the The Button Hole. We heard this a bunch!

Like Krehbiels Meat

Love McPherson – great community

Love the Italian restaurant by the bowling alley

Miss The Button Hole – pretty town Go Pups!

McPherson – Clean town and friendly people

The Scottish Festival is too much money and it doesn’t change. Heartily disagree. There are many ways to volunteer and get free tickets and every year they add something new!

It would be nice to open & make safe the underground town like the Opera House. This is interesting. I wonder where the tunnels are?

RV Park is expensive. ?

Is Trolley wheelchair accessible YES

Miss The Button Hole

Best give-away table. Thanks for noticing! We gave away frisbees, hand fans, pens, pads of paper and 2010 calendars.

A lot of interest in the Opera House. Grand opening is the end of Jan. 2010.

Need info on Central Christian College as well as Mac College.

Are they done with the Opera House?

There are no holes in Calendars to hang on the wall. This one cracks me up! Use a thumb tack!

Lots and lots of questions whether or not we will get another quilt shop. I've not heard anything.

Many disappointments about The Button Hole closing!

Surprised McPherson has a Trolley! Holiday light tours 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 Tues. and Thurs. nights Dec. 1-22.

Excited about The Well and all it will offer. I saw Pastor Neufeld-Dunn hanging flyers for a performance there later this month. Can't wait to see what all goes on in this new business.

Drove down from Manhattan to go to the fair. Signed up for Scottish Festival & said “you always have good things going on in McPherson.” :)

Couple from K. City. Stayed all night in McPherson last night at Best Western & heard trains all night !!!! Don't they have trains in KC?

Does McPherson have an RV Park? Showed him on a map. Said that would be a good place to camp.

Many nice compliments on the City of McPherson

One said housing was too high in McPherson would have liked to live there but couldn’t afford it.

Hated to see the quilt shop close

Love McPherson CVB Really? Thanks!

Loves the Opera House! Wants to attend Grand Opening

Water Park Flyers? Didn't think to send any since it's closed for the year.

Love McPherson’s Backdrop (in the booth)

You guys have a great diner Neighbor’s Café has the best cinnamon rolls in the world. I totally agree!!

Excited about Haunted Forest. Making a trip to visit the Deli, Cooks Nook & Stone Chimney.

Enjoyed the Opera House

Is $1 off Festival coupon just good at gate or also for advanced ticketing? Just the gate.

From Derby – McPherson is a great place! Knows MAC football player & brother minister in town.

Used to have the best fabric store ever

Were we called the “Light Capital”? In the 60’s . . . . had most street lights in town. Yes, we were known as the Light Capital because downtown lights could be seen on interstate.

2 women from Great Bend are now planning to attend Scottish Festival & stay 2 nights based on the brochures. Excellent!

Thanks for the calendar & welcome book!

Sad to see The Button Hole close Wow, someone really needs to open another quilt shop!!

Info for Central Christian College? We had McPherson College information because they volunteered to work three shifts in the booth. It wasn't a deliberate oversight. We'll bring some next year.

Is it a Scottish town? The fourth weekend of every Sept. it sure is.

You have to have a ticket for the Scottish Festival?

Terrible that The Button Hole went out of business.

Need bags for all the give a ways! They were under the table ;).

Great Calendars!

Several People wanted to know dates & times for Trolley rides.