Posted by Wynn Ponder

Rural Kansas pulls off some amazing events; Symphony in the Flint Hills, The Hot Wheels Event in Speed, Svensk Hyllningsfest in Lindsborg, the list goes on and on. But not everyone knows the ins and outs of event planning, so let’s see if we can get the experts talking:

• What’s the biggest or best event your community, county or region has ever organized?
• How many people worked on it?
• How did get your arms around it?
  
• What obstacles did you face, and how did you overcome them?
• What will you do differently next time?

Please comment to this post with your answers. Or if there’s an event in your future, and you have questions, feel free to post those as comments.

Don’t know how to leave a comment?

posted by Roger Hrabe

Recently, in the process of preparing for a local leadership class, it was recommended that I read a book, Boom Town USA: The 7½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns by Jack Schultz.  Even though I still have some reading to do, it was apparent from the very start that this should be required reading for anyone interested in helping their community become a “thriving” community.

One column cannot possibly cover the entire book, or even the first half of the book as far as that goes.  My thought was to discuss selected parts of the book throughout the next several months in this column.  Hopefully, it will spark some thought that might lead to meaningful change.

The first key to success is adopting a “Can-Do” attitude.  I hardly found it surprising that this key was listed at number one.  Amongst the myriad of communities throughout western Kansas, the one’s that have a can-do attitude stand out like Molly Ivins at a Bush fundraiser.  Communities with this attitude do not allow negativity to guide their discussions or plans for the future.  They focus on what they can do rather than what they cannot.

This is not to say they don’t have just as many obstacles to overcome as any other community.  There are always those who will say it can’t work or that something is a waste of time and money.  A community with a can-do attitude is never pre-occupied with the negative, and is always willing to take the risks necessary to encourage progress.

It is almost humorous to read Schultz’s portrayal of the four personality types that you find in any community—mules, moles, jackals, and eagles.  It is humorous because we can all relate to people in our communities that fit the bill for each.

Mules are people opposed to any change, and they tend to be proud of it.  How many times have you heard, “That is the way it has always been” as an excuse for not changing something.  It is hard not be discouraged by the mules, but they will always be there and we just have to make sure that we are not a “mule community.” Many small towns that refuse to look at change as an option have either died or are on their way.

More than likely many of our communities are more moles than mules.  Mole communities aren’t necessarily opposed to change as much as they are afraid of it.  The fear of failure keeps them from taking the risks necessary to take advantage of the opportunities that are always there.  They look at other towns’ successes and say, “We could have done that.”   Could have, should have, would have.  The bottom line for the moles is that they will never step out of their comfort zone and, because of that, they will stay on the same path to oblivion.

Jackals are more parasitic.  While exhibiting many of the same qualities as the mules and moles, the jackals sit back and watch others fail rather than taking the risks that might lead them to success.  Then, when others succeed, the jackals, while denying that they would ever stoop to the levels of the other town, will not turn down any of the fruits of the other town’s hard work.  They feed off others but never have the can-do attitude that will allow them to succeed on their own.

The challenge for us all is to become an eagle community.  Eagles have great vision and are fearless when it comes to pursuing their prey.  An eagle community sets clear goals and then sets out to achieve them regardless of what others around them do or say.

A town with a can-do attitude will not necessarily have more eagles than the other personality types.  But the eagles, while seeing opportunities and looking to capitalize, will also find a way to bring along the mules and moles by winning them over and getting their buy-in.

I enjoyed the short story on Tombstone, Arizona that ended the chapter on adopting a can-do attitude.  It seems that someone forgot to tell the mayor and other eagles in Tombstone that they are located in the middle of nowhere (how many times have we heard that about western Kansas), and they are supposed to dry up and blow away.  However, the city selected the motto, “The Town Too Tough to Die” and has proceeded to capitalize on its resources to become a thriving tourist city.

I suppose it would be plagiarizing or unethical to adopt the same motto for some our communities, but the least we could do is to “live” by the motto by showing the resolve to overcome the obstacles that each of our communities encounter every day.  The first thing it takes is a can-do attitude.

Roger Hrabe

Director, Rooks County Economic Development

posted by Roger Hrabe

Ask any Kansan to name the five largest industries in Kansas and what do you think they would name? The most likely answers are going to be agriculture, aviation, meat packing, oil or natural gas, and maybe something like technology or food products.  Most Kansans are going to miss the third largest industry in the state: tourism.

The travel and tourism industry in Kansas annually generates around $3.7 billion in expenditures, $515 million in federal, state and local taxes, and accounted for 57,000 travel related jobs according to the year 2000 figures from the Travel Industry Association of America.  This ranks Kansas 38^th in the country in direct domestic travel expenditures.

Ranking 38^th out of 50 states may not seem very impressive, but considering that Kansas ranks dead last in the nation in the size of its annual tourism advertising budget, it would appear that we are getting a good bang for our buck.  The State of Kansas has an annual tourism advertising budget of around $300,000 a year.  Compare that figure with Missouri, which has a $10 million annual budget, or Oklahoma with a $3.5 million budget.

Why is there a lack of focus in Kansas on tourism?  Generally, Kansans tend to have a low self-esteem when it comes to tourism activities in their state.  Since we don’t have mountains, Disneyland, or the ocean, what in the world would anyone want to see here?

The same people who pose that question could answer it themselves by looking at the reasons why they live here.  The very things that we value so much about life in Kansas—our rich history, quality of life, big skies, endless vistas, friendly people—are things that people from other states value also.  And the good thing is that many of them are willing to pay for an authentic experience that, to you and I, may seem like just an everyday part of our lives.

State surveys have revealed that the most popular activities for visitors are: touring pioneer and frontier history sites, visiting cowboy and Old West attractions, visiting art and cultural attractions, and participating in outdoor activities.  Each of these activities are things that all parts of our state has to offer.  In addition, since 9/11, people are staying closer to home, taking more car trips, and looking for small town experiences.  Kansas has an aura of safety that positions it well for taking advantage of these trends.

Some people around the state have recognized the importance of tourism for many years.  One of those people is Marci Penner, director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation.  Marci has been a champion of rural Kansas for many years.  Her enthusiasm and ideas for helping rural communities survive was evidenced this last weekend in Independence with the annual Kansas Sampler Festival.

The Sampler Festival allows exhibitors from all over the state to showcase the many travel opportunities available in communities across the state.  The festival included live demonstrations, historic re-enactors, authentic cuisine, and Kansas-made products.  It is estimated that over 7,000 people attended the two day event.  To be held in Newton the next two years, the event is sure to grow and has become a model for other states on how to showcase tourism in their own state.

Another group that is an example of what can be accomplished by a small number of people through hard work and a vision is the Osborne County Tourism group.  Their accomplishments so far are too numerous to mention, but suffice it to say that they are positioning themselves well to appeal to visitors who have a desire to experience history in Osborne County.  For Osborne County, tourism is not the answer to reviving a deteriorating economy, but it is certainly one piece of the puzzle.

With the week of May 10-18 being proclaimed Kansas Tourism Week by Governor Kathleen Sebelius, it is a good time to consider how we can better take advantage of the opportunity that has been presented to us.  There are literally hundreds of ways that individuals or communities can create unique experiences that someone is willing to pay good money to see or do.  The only limitations are those that we place upon ourselves.

A person told me the other day, “All economic development starts as tourism.  People who are looking at your community as a place to live and grow their business start by looking at the community just as a tourist would.  They see what the community looks like and what it has to offer.  If they like what they see, they may be willing to make it their home.”

It is time for Kansans to look at their state for what it is:  a great place to call home and a great place to visit.  Quit apologizing for it and start promoting it.

Roger Hrabe

Director, Rooks County Economic Development