November 6, 2015 - In This Issue:
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Submissions for next week's newsletter may be emailed to [email protected]. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesdays.
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Babies, Buses & Bacon
Babies
First off, I'm excited to share the news that Rachael, our Chamber Director, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on Monday. Everyone is doing well and I couldn't be happier for them. Three-year-old big brother Hunter is especially smitten with Harper, his baby sister.
Buses With Rachael now on maternity leave, I'm running the office solo for a while and I started out with a very busy week. I had the opportunity to spend all day Wednesday leading a bus tour of Grinnell for 21 travel planners. We submitted a bid proposal to host this annual tour in Grinnell, and were selected as this year's host community.
The travel planners came from all over Iowa as well as a few from Nebraska and Missouri. I think they were all impressed with our community, and I already know a couple of them are planning to bring their own bus tours to Grinnell next year. I also staffed a booth at the Iowa Travel Marketplace yesterday, which is a trade show where I was able to visit with about 60 travel planners and tell them about things they can do with their tour groups in Grinnell.
Bacon
I attended the annual Iowa Tourism Conference two weeks ago. One speaker discussed food trends. He talked about how the general population's appetite for new foods has increased substantially with access to the Food Network, food blogs and social media.
Food trends have always existed, but they are so much larger economic opportunities today because everyone is now a "foodie" to some extent. He talked about how the cupcake trend can be traced back to a Sex in the City episode that included a scene with decadent cupcakes. Viewers of the popular show couldn't necessarily afford the fancy clothes and a life in New York City, but a gourmet cupcake was something that could be accessible to anyone, anywhere. I never would have guessed that was where the trend originated!
He also discussed the bacon trend, and how it is an industry-driven trend to increase demand for bacon. The pork industry's work paid off, because you can now find bacon on just about any menu, plus there are entire festivals dedicated to it.
Food trends are important because they create economic opportunity. People will travel for food. Just about everyone wants to be a "foodie" these days, especially millennials. They are looking for unique dining experiences where they can discover interesting dishes. Millennials value experiences over things, so we as a community need to get creative and keep thinking of ways we can design memorable travel experiences for our visitors.
The millennial population will exceed the baby boomer population this year and, even though millennials are low on funds, they value travel. Millennials' travel spending is expected to be equal to baby boomers' travel spending this year. So, while we certainly don't want to ignore the baby boomer population, we also need to be thinking about ways to appeal to the millennial traveler. Do you have ideas? If you were a visitor to Grinnell, what would you wish you could do/see/eat/experience?
~Emily Counts
P.S. Thank you to all who took a minute to vote in the city elections last week. We are co-hosting a "State of the City" event with the League of Women Voters next Tuesday and invite you to come and hear from city leaders.
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FAULCONER GALLERY: "Start By Asking Questions: Contemporary Art from the Faulconer and Rachofsky Collections"
"The Village: Old World Charm Through Modern Art" open through November 8.
STRAND THEATRE: Click here for this week's show times.
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ARBORS APARTMENTS: Maintenance Supervisor
ASI SIGNAGE: Project Manager/Customer Service, Vinyl Graphics Technician
BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION SERVICES: employment in social work, psychology, and human services, email [email protected] or fax: (641) 236-7969.
BROWNELLS: E-Commerce Analytics Manager, User Experience Manager, Regional Sales Manager
CENTRAL IOWA FAMILY PLANNING: Fiscal Manager, Part-time Accountant
DRAKE COMMUNITY LIBRARY: Library Circulation Clerk
GRINNELL COMMUNITY DAYCARE & PRESCHOOL: Teachers, Bus Driver, Lifeguard
GENESIS DEVELOPMENT:Community Support Specialists
GRINNELL COLLEGE: Alumni Relations Assistant, Annual Giving and Development Assistant, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life and Orientation, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for Regional Programs, Assistant Director of Annual Giving, Assistant or Associate Director of Development, Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations Communications, Associate Director of Student Health & Counseling and Lead Psychologist, Call-In Cashier, Instructional Technologist, Information Technology and Audio Visual Support Specialist, Mechanic I, Program Manager, Receptionist, Stockroom Assistant, Technology Services Desktop Systems Team Lead, Temporary Presentation Cook, Web Developer.
GRINNELL FIRESTONE: Full-Time Service Technician
GRINNELL HEALTHCARE CENTER: Clinical Liaison Position
GRINNELL MUTUAL REINSURANCE: Director-Big M Agency, Reinsurance Technical Analyst, Sr. Payroll Administrator
GRINNELL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER: Respiratory Therapist, Home Care Aide/Hospice Aide, Registered Nurse, Director, Medical Technologist/Medical Laboratory Technologist, Cook, Physical Therapist, Social Worker, Maintenance Engineer, Respiratory Therapist, Maintenance Engineer (HVAC), LINIC LPN/CMA (Dr. McKnight's Office), Clinic CMA (Grinnell Regional Family Practice), Clinic Nurse LPN or RN, Home Care Aid/Hospice Aid, Registered Nurse, Medical Technologist/Medical Laboratory Technologist, Patient Care Technician, Social Worker, ANRP, Cook, Physical Therapist
GRINNELL STATE BANK: Full and Part time Teller-Personal Banker
INTEGRITY CLEANING & RESTORATION: Cleaning Technician
MANATTS: Equipment Operator, Mechanic, Foreman, Truck Driver, Laborer, Skilled Technician
MAYFLOWER COMMUNITY: Aide and Nurse
PAGLIAI'S PIZZA: Bussers, servers, cashiers, hosts and dishwashers
PEPPERTREE AT THE DEPOT CROSSING: Full-time General Manager
PRO-LINE BUILDING COMPANY:
Construction Crew Members, Payroll Clerk/HR Assistant
RELISH: Wait Staff
ST. FRANCIS MANOR: Full-time/Part time CNA, LPN, RN,
SPARTAN STAFFING: Forklift Drivers / Warehouse Workers TACO JOHN'S: Part-time Help TRINITY STRUCTURAL TOWERS: Assembler, Crane Operator, Maintenance, Weld Trainee, Production Supervisor, Material Administrative Support, Scheduler, Quality Supervisor
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This list includes events taking place in the next two weeks.
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TOY DRIVE is through December 14 at Grinnell Realty.
TURLACH UR BAGPIPE CONCERT is Saturday, November 7 at 7pm at First Presbyterian Church. Reception beforehand at 5:30pm at Grinnell Arts Center.
SENIOR DANCE is Saturday, November 7 at from 7 to 10pm at St. Francis Manor.
SENIOR CHAMBER meets Wednesday, November 11 at 9:30am at St. Francis Manor.
BUCKET COURSES are every Wednesday at 10am to 11:30am at Drake Community Library.
SOCRATES CAFE is every Thursday at 6:30pm at Drake Community Library.
LIVE MUSIC is Saturday, November 14 from 7 to 9pm at Van Wijk Winery.
BUCKET COURSES are every Wednesday at 10am at Drake Community Library.
SOCRATES CAFE is every Thursday at 6:30pm at Drake Community Library.
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NO TRASH PICK-UP ON VETERANS DAY. I n observance of Veterans Day, no trash & recycling will be picked-up on Wednesday, November 11. Trash and recycling normally picked up on Wednesdays, will be picked up on Thursday, November 12.
WARM MEAL WEDNESDAYS are every Wednesday from 11am to 1pm at Memories Maid. Stop by to pick up a freshly cooked warm meal with dessert.
ANGEL TREE ORNAMENTS are on sale now at the Glass Gift Box. Purchase an angel to remember or honor someone special in your life. Each ornament is $10.
WREATH RAFFLE begins November 23 at the Glass Gift Box at Grinnell Regional Medical Center. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.
CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES provides prevention and life skills education, intervention, shelter and outreach services to empower persons, families and the community to end all forms of abuse.
CALLING ALL ARTISTS. Grin City Collective and the Grinnell Area Art Council are commissioning 3-5 works of public art for downtown Grinnell. All U.S. artists are invited to submit a proposal.
BIG GIVE MONTH The Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation (GPCF) is nearing the end of Big GIVE Month, Oct. Community members are encouraged to donate to their fund.
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